A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable T. Ashok Kumar (44), hailing from Uttar Pradesh, allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself on his forehead with a service rifle (INSAS) at the airport in Madurai on Sunday afternoon. The reason was not known.
Superintendent of Police V. Balakrishnan said the constable was returning for a de-briefing session after finishing his morning duty.
The constable, attached to the Jaipur-based 8 Battalion, had been on a six-month deputation at the airport since October 2012, the SP said. After an off duty on Saturday, he was posted at the arrival hall at the new terminal building on Sunday morning.
An enquiry by the Revenue Divisional Officer has been ordered. The body was shifted to the Government Rajaji Hospital for post-mortem.
A CISF constable at the airport said that Ashok Kumar was a quiet man. An official said that he went to bank and sent money to the family members on Saturday. His activities were not found abnormal in the recent days.
Earlier this month, an Assistant Sub-Inspector attached to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police allegedly committed suicide in a similar way at Idayapatti camp near here.
Stating that “mental depression could be the reason for paramilitary personnel to end their lives,” Mr. Balakrishnan said that whether family-related or profession-related issues led to their depression was not known.
However, the SP suggested conducting counselling to the paramilitary forces personnel in the district in the lines of week-end counselling held for the constables of the district police and their family members.
“Only when the family members, the spouses and the children understand the working condition of the police personnel, can they manage their work-related stress and overcome it,” Mr. Balakrishnan said.
Besides the CISF and the ITBP units, Madurai has a unit of Central Reserve Police Force.
“Since these camps are in the inceptive stage, they do not have family accommodation and this can lead to stress in them. Besides, language, geographical and cultural changes have an impact on them. We will discuss these issues with the heads of those institutions and formulate a model to provide counselling to the paramilitary personnel,” Mr. Balakrishnan said.
