120 Whither Kashmir? (Part II) - Islamabad Policy Research Institute

Whither Kashmir?
“Stress management in the armed forces”, stated that 635 suicides of
soldiers were reported between 2003 and 2007. In addition, 67 fratricidal
killings had occurred. The committee further said that the “alarming
trend of suicides and fratricidal killings in the armed forces is attributable
to increased stress environment leading to psychological imbalance in the
soldiers”.
However, with the rise in the cases of suicide and fratricide in the
Indian armed forces parliament was informed in 2009. In this connection,
Defence Minister A.K. Antony revealed in a written reply in the Lok
Sabha that of these, there were 48 cases of suicide and one of fratricide in
the three services—41 suicides were reported from the Indian Army, six
from the Indian Air Force, and one from the Indian Navy. He further
disclosed that overall, there had been a staggering 495 cases of suicide and
25 cases of fratricide in the armed forces over the past four year. Of these,
154 suicides and 13 fratricides occurred in 2006, 142 suicides and seven
fratricides occurred in 2007 and 151 suicides and four fratricides occurred
in 2008. Of the total cases, 412 suicides and 24 fratricides were reported
from the army, 76 suicides and one fratricide were reported from the air
forces and seven suicides were reported from the navy.
Nevertheless, India has also hired the services of counselors, and
stationed psychiatrists close to its troops especially in the occupied
Kashmir in order to combat stress that has driven many soldiers to kill
themselves or fellow soldiers. Director General Medical Sciences Lt. Gen.
N.K. Parmar indicated, “Sixty psychiatrists have been trained and are
working in close coordination with the troops…if there are any signs of
stress, this will immediately be brought to the commanding officer’s
notice.”
Nonetheless, various security agencies of India, working in the
Indian-held Kashmir have now not only engaged counselors and
psychologists to combat stress among troops but have also found cure in
meditation, music, exercises and yoga—all used as techniques against stress
and mental disorder. No doubt, in any conflict zone, the cases of mental
depression and stress are common phenomena, but in case of the
controlled Kashmir, the trend has increased. It is because of this fact that
that Indian armed forces have been so demoralised by fighting with the
freedom fighters that either they commit suicide or kill their own
colleagues and seniors. They completely lack ‘will to fight’ or ‘moral
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