Soldiers often undergo tremendous mental stress for not being able to take care of the problems being faced by their families back home, which could range from property disputes and harassment by anti-social elements to financial and marital problems.
The details of number of incidents of suicide and fratricide cases in the armed forces during the last three years are as under:
| Year | Army | Navy | Air Force | |||
| No. of Suspected Suicide Cases | No. of Fratricide Cases | No. of Suspected Suicide Cases | No. of Fratricide Cases | No. of Suspected Suicide Cases | No. of Fratricide Cases | |
| 2016 | 104 | 02 | 06 | Nil | 19 | 01 |
| 2017 | 75 | 01 | 05 | Nil | 21 | Nil |
| 2018 | 80 | 01 | 08 | Nil | 16 | Nil |
Data as per Raksha Rajya Mantri Dr. Subhash Bhamre in written reply to Dr. A. Sampath in Lok Sabha on 13th Feb, 2019. He further added that steps have taken by the Armed Forces to create healthy and favourable environment for their Officers and Other Ranks. Some of these steps are as under:-
- Provision of better quality of facilities such as clothing, food, married accommodation, travel facilities, schooling, recreation etc. and periodic welfare meeting.
- Conduct of yoga and meditation as a tool for stress management.
- Training and deployment of psychological counsellors.
- Institutionalization of projects ‘MILAP’ and ‘SAHYOG’ by Army in Northern & Eastern Command to reduce stress among troops.
- A ‘MansikSahayata Helpline’ has been established by Army & Air Force to take professional counselling.
- Mental Health Awareness is provided during pre-induction training.
- Formation of Military Psychiatry Treatment Centre at INHSAsvini and establishment of Mental Health Centres in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Port Blair, Goa and Karwar.
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