Defence forces lost 334 personnel to suicide cases since 2016

New Delhi [India] Jan 7 (ANI): In the last three years, the Army, Navy and the Air Force have lost 334 soldiers to suicide related cases across the country since 2016, Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.
Last year, the three forces lost 104 personnel, in 2017, while the figure was 101 in 2016. The figure was relatively very high as 129 soldiers died in these cases, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said in written reply to a query.
He said that there have been five cases of fratricide in the three Forces in the same time period.
The Minister informed that the government has taken various steps to Create a healthy environment among the Officers and Other Rank of the forces including "Provision of better quality of facilities such as clothing, food, married accommodation, travel facilities, schooling, recreation etc. and periodic welfare meetings."
He said yoga and meditation as a tool for stress management were being used along with training and deployment of psychological counsellors.
"Institutionalisation of projects 'MILAP' and 'SAHYOG' by Army in Northern and Eastern Command to reduce stress among troops and a Mansik Sahayata Helpline' has been established by Army and Air Force to take professional counselling," the Minister said. (ANI)