Was the act of RPF constable Chetan really a result of Mental Illness or is it a case of Hate Crime

 

However following the incident of unexpected murder of four people (including a senior railway official Tikaram Meena) on a train by Railway Protection Force Constable Chetan, the Indian government spoke about the mental health issues among armed forces personnel and present the data (These figures include BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles (AR). CRPF has a maximum number of mentally ill patients. In 2022, out of a total of 4,940 patients, 1,882 were from CRPF, 1,327 from BSF, 530 from AR, 472 from CISF, 417 from ITBP and 312 from SSB).

The crime committed by RPF Constable Chetan unmasked another aspect, where the entire act is being linked to a hate crime which has also exposed the deep communal rift in India.

Though the incident is still under investigation, according to some news reports, the accused constable Chetan Singh (34) had no mental illness detected in his last medical examination and he had hatred towards Muslims. He allegedly shot dead his senior RPF colleague Tika Ram Meena and three passengers, all of whom were Muslims. Some of the family members and friends of the victims have termed the incident a ‘hate crime’, as Chetan Kumar killed the Muslim victims while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath, hinting at Hindu-Muslim hatred.

Some political leaders have also shared a video allegedly showing the constable near the dead bodies and called it a 'hate crime'. Secondly, the victims of Chetan's anger are not random on that train, they were all selected. However, there is no official confirmation or evidence to support this claim.

This is not the first time that our forces have carried out such incidents, we can take the example of the human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir, where the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Border Security Personnel (BSF) have been accused of committing severe human rights abuses against Kashmiri civilians, such as killings, torture, disappearances, rapes, and arbitrary detentions. These abuses have been reported by various human rights groups and international organizations, but have been denied or ignored by the Indian government.

Another example is Operation Blue Star, an Indian Armed Forces operation in 1984 to remove Sikh militants from the Golden Temple, the holiest site of Sikhism, in Amritsar, Punjab. The operation resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries, and sparked widespread anger and resentment among the Sikh community.

A third example is the hate crimes against minority communities in various Indian cities, such as Delhi and Bengaluru, where people have been attacked, lynched, or harassed for their religious or ethnic identity. These crimes have been fueled by sectarian hostility, communal violence, and hate speech, and have often involved members of the military or paramilitary forces.

Are Indian paramilitary forces facing mental health problems?

Today there is an increasing recognition of mental health challenges faced by armed forces personnel across the world, including India. The nature of their work, which often involves high-stress situations, extended hours of duty, frequent transfers and exposure to other traumatic events, may contribute to the development of mental health problems.

Paramilitary forces in India, such as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), and others, are responsible for maintaining internal security, border protection, and counter-insurgency operations. These forces often operate in challenging environments, including conflict zones and areas affected by terrorism or insurgency. The demanding nature of their job can lead to various mental health challenges among the personnel.

Common mental health issues that paramilitary forces personnel may face include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and burnout. Witnessing violence, experiencing personal danger, and dealing with the loss of colleagues or civilians can all have a profound impact on their psychological well-being.

Today, like any other organization or group of individuals, paramilitary forces in India also experience mental health problems among their personnel. However, the mental or psychological health of the soldier is rarely emphasized, because of which the number of suicide and collegue's murder in the paramilitary forces are shockingly increase.

Recently, the Union Home Ministry has also confirmed this by giving figures related to it. In response to a question asked in the Rajya Sabha, the ministry said that in the year 2020, 3,584 personnel were undergoing mental treatment in all central paramilitary forces. But in 2022 this number had increased to 4,940. This is a jump of about 38 percent in two years.

Does this means that there are not enough psychiatrists in these security forces?,

The CRPF has only three, the BSF has four, the AR has one, the ITBP has five and the SSB has only one, according to Home Ministry data.

How many such doctors are there in CISF, this information has not been given. But in spite of this system, mental illness, stress and the incidents due to it are happening continuously. For example, many cases of suicide in paramilitary forces also come to the light.

The ministry admitted that between 2018 and 2022, 658 personnel committed suicide across all paramilitary forces. Among the jawans who committed suicide, 230 were from CRPF, 174 from BSF, 91 from CISF, 65 from SSB, 51 from ITBP and 47 from AR.

As in the case of Chetan Singh, cases of killing even their colleagues in paramilitary forces often come to the fore. In 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs also gave the figures related to this in the Parliament, according to which between 2017 and 2022, 57 personnel lost their lives in such cases.

The Ministry of Home Affairs says that paramilitary personnel are also provided with regular check-ups, psychological counseling services, treatment and follow-up, if necessary they are referred to specialists in good hospitals for mental health concerns.

Apart from this, workshops are also organized for paramedical personnel and medical officers in each unit so that they can identify such cases at the very beginning and start treatment.

It's important to note that hate crimes committed by paramilitary officials or any individuals in positions of power are serious violations of human rights and the rule of law. Such incidents can have severe consequences for the affected communities and undermine social cohesion.

Promoting diversity, inclusion and respect within the military, as well as fostering a culture of accountability and adherence to ethical standards, are ongoing efforts to prevent any form of discrimination or hate crimes within the armed forces. Apart from this, our Armed Forces cannot be called wrong by any two or four incidents, they are always committed to the security of the country.