The Assam police department has constituted a four-member committee to study the trend of suicides among its personnel.
The decision, taken on Monday night, follows the suicide of two policemen this month.
A jawan of the Kahilipara-based 10th Assam Police Battalion (APBn), identified as Babul Chandra Das, 49, of Patharkuchi in Barpeta district, allegedly committed suicide on Sunday while he was posted at chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s residence here. He was found hanging from a ceiling..
On February 7, constable Golap Bora had killed himself with his service gun at Shakardev Nagar police reserve in Hojai district. He did not leave any suicide note but police suspect family matters to be the cause. Two empty carbine cartridges were recovered from the site of the incident. Investigations are on.
In August 2019, sub-inspector Nipan Nath, 28, who was posted at Sissiborgaon police station in Dhemaji district, had shot himself with his service pistol. He had joined the Assam police in 2017.
The review committee will comprise additional director-general of police (training & armed police) Dipak Kumar as the chairperson, assistant inspector-general of police Gaurav Upadhyay as member convener, and AIGP Nanda Singh and medical and health officer of 10th APBn Dipjyoti Sharma as members.
Assam director-general of police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said the committee would study the trend of suicides among Assam police personnel by enumerating the data of suicides committed in the past five years and the reasons for the same.
It will also study the existing mechanism for counselling police personnel for their mental wellness, their medical treatment and the existing policy of reimbursement of the medical expenses.
The committee is expected to submit its report by February 27.