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Friday, Oct 17, 2008
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Central forces under severe pressure

Staff Reporter

‘Deployed in Kandhamal for long, they are vulnerable to mental disorders’

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

CRPF jawans patrolling a deserted street in Kandhamal district. —

BERHAMPUR: The ever-increasing psychological pressure on Central forces deployed for long in Kandhamal district will take a toll on their mental health, fear psychiatrists as well as former senior policemen of Orissa.

Currently, 53 companies of Central forces are in Kandhamal district, including three companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF). But now, CRPF personnel have become targets of tribal groups in the district. Deployment of Central forces has led to large-scale arrests of persons on charge of their involvement in communal violence in the area. However, on Monday night, two CRPF personnel were attacked near Sispanga village when they were not in their group. One of them died while the other managed to escape. Attempts had also been made to attack CRPF camps in police stations where they were deployed. At times, they had to tackle mobs of women preventing them from making arrests.

Some police officials see an organised underground campaign against the forces to demean their morale. The tribal organisation Kui Samaj demanded withdrawal of CRPF men from Kandhamal, which was declined by the State Government. This apart, the threat of malaria, which reportedly claimed the lives of two of their colleagues till now, is a cause for worry.

According to former Inspector-General (IG) of Police and NCP leader Anadi Sahu, such situation may prove detrimental to the mental health of the CRPF personnel, who are alien to the language, people and terrain of Kandhamal.

He alleged that the last six companies of CRPF personnel sent to Kandhamal were raw recruits whose training was yet to be completed. This makes their task worse.

Assistant professor of psychiatry in MKCG Medical College Hospital Chandrasekhar Tripathy felt the only way to save them from mental ailment was to provide them adequate psychological security regarding their action by the state government. He also added that psychological vulnerability was directly proportional to biological vulnerability and advised provision of proper food, adequate rest and medical facilities to them. But Mr. Sahu felt it would be proper for the government to opt for extra State police force from some adjoining States for policing in Kandhamal rather than using the CRPF for long period. “The CRPF is not trained in dealing emotional issues related to regular policing,” he said.

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