MT Desk: Since 2019, as many as 177 Indian forces’ personnel have committed suicide in the violence-hit Indian state of Chhattisgarh, ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party. 177 Indian forces’ personnel, including nearly 40 from paramilitary forces, committed suicide in the state in the last six-and-a-half years, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma informed the assembly.
In a written reply to a question by senior BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar, Deputy CM Sharma, who holds the home portfolio, informed the House about cases of suicide by Indian forces personnel and murders committed by them.
As per the reply, 177 Indian forces’ personnel committed suicide in the state between 2019 and June 15, 2025.
Of them, 26 personnel belonged to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), five to the Border Security Force (BSF), three to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and one each to the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and Tripura State Rifles, it said.
The other personnel who committed suicide belonged to different wings of the state police, including the Chhattisgarh Armed Force, Special Task Force, and Home Guard, the reply said. The CRPF, BSF, and ITBP have been extensively deployed in the state for anti-Naxal operations.
According to the government document, 25 Indian personnel committed suicide in 2019, 38 in 2020, 24 in 2021, 31 in 2022, 22 in 2023, 29 in 2024, and 8 in 2025 (till June 15).
During the last six-and-a-half years, 18 Indian personnel, including those belonging to paramilitary forces, were involved in incidents of murder. These incidents included a few fratricides in which personnel opened fire on their colleagues.
In the investigation of such cases, it has been found—as claimed by the BJP government—that officers and employees mainly commit suicide or murder due to family and personal issues, alcohol addiction, health reasons, and sudden anger.