92 soldiers committed suicide in 2017: MoS for Defence in Lok Sabha

New Delhi, December 27

A total of 92 personnel from the three armed forces have committed suicide in 2017, with the Army having the highest number, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre told Lok Sabha, in a written reply, that as per the figures, two officers, and 67 Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) and Other Ranks (OR) committed suicide in the Indian Army. The number of JCOs and ORs who committed suicide was 100 in 2016, 77 in 2015, and 82 in 2014.

Among the Army officers, there were four suicides in 2016, one in 2015 and two in 2014.

In the Navy, which has lowest suicide rate in the three services, there were no incidents of suicide among the officers in 2014, and 2015, while in 2016 and 2017 saw one suicide each. Among the sailors, there have been four suicides this year, five in 2016, three in 2015 and four in 2014.

In the Indian Air Force, three officers committed suicide in 2016, and two in 2014.

Among the airmen, there were 18 suicides this year, 16 in 2016, 14 in 2015, and 19 in 2014.

Bhamre said reasons for committing suicide include “family issues, domestic problems, marital discord, perceived grievances and personal issues”. — IANS