Suicides by police personnel treble in Bengal

Suicides by police personnel increased alarmingly in West Bengal with cases nearly trebling in 2013 compared to the previous year, data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) published last month has pointed out.

With 29 suicides by police personnel, West Bengal has the dubious distinction of ranking third in the country, after Maharashtra (40) and Tamil Nadu (31). In 2012, the number of suicides was only 10 as per the NCRB data.

An age group-wise assessment shows that of the 29 cases, 12 were between 45 and 55 years of age and nine above 55 years of age.

Across the country, 222 cases of police suicides were reported in 2013. The overall number of suicides in the country has also gone up compared to 196 in 2012 .

In fact, the number of suicides by police officers in West Bengal is higher than the number of police personnel killed on duty.

As many as 22 police personnel died on duty in 2013, the NCRB data shows. In 2012, 24 police personnel were killed on duty in West Bengal. The number of policemen, who were injured on duty, had decreased from 263 in 2012 to 116 in 2013.

Commenting on the statistics, retired police officer Sandhi Mukherjee said the rise in suicides by police personnel is a matter of concern and the authorities should take the issue seriously. “Stress and pressure are part of the job of police and these days we come across people who cannot reconcile themselves to all kinds of policing,” Mr. Mukherjee, who retired as IG, Intelligence of the State police, said.

Sujit Sarkhel, a psychiatrist associated with the State-run SSKM Hospital, who in the past conducted stress management workshop for the city police personnel, said he had come across issues like transfers, staying away from family, and unspecified working hours in a number of cases as reasons.

“If we can arrange help of professional psychiatrists and counsellors for the policemen who work round the clock, probably some of the deaths can be avoided,” Dr. Sarkhel, assistant professor, department of psychiatry, SSKM Hospital, said.