New Delhi: In a worrying trend, suicides among personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been rising.
As many as 59 deaths were recorded in 2025 within CRPF, the country’s largest paramilitary force, reported PTI.
It’s a five-year high in CRPF suicides as per data compiled by the force.
The number of suicides was 57 in 2021, 43 in 2022, 57 in 2023, 46 in 2024.
As for 2026, 19 suicides had been reported by May 22.
During the period from 2021 to May 2026, three-fourths of the suicides (216 out of 281 deaths) occurred while CRPF personnel were on duty, while 65 took their lives when they were on leave.
The figures indicate that more needs to be done by the CRPF leadership to address issues relating to stress and mental health among its personnel.
In several cases, CRPF staff found it difficult balancing their professional and personal lives.
“Such cases have often been triggered after a jawan rejoined duty after leave or after speaking to family members over the phone before committing suicide,” said a source. Professional stress and, in some cases, fratricide could also lead to such incidents.
“The force has introduced several measures over the years to address mental health concerns and prevent suicides. But, the record number of deaths in 2025 is likely to prompt renewed scrutiny of whether existing interventions are adequate and whether further measures are needed,” the source said.
Hanging and firearms accounted for 263 of the 281 suicides (nearly 94%) in the last five years. Hanging was reported in 136 cases, and 127 involved firearms. Fourteen suicide cases involved poisoning, 2 after jumping before a train and 2 involving cutting of veins.
A government task force report has identified personal factors such as death of a spouse or family member, marital discord or divorce, financial difficulties and concerns over children’s educational opportunities as factors behind such incidents.