Belt Forces need Proper Meditation, Counselling
JAMMU, DEC 08: Fresh incident of fratricide in Jammu’s Udhampur has once again raised questions on the mental fitness of soldiers in uniform. Though there are many other reasons too behind this early act of fratricide, the main root cause is always stress or pressure followed by impatience.
According to SSP Udhampur, Amod Ashok Nagpore, two police personnel were found dead with bullet injuries in Rembal area of Udhampur on Sunday morning suspecting it to be a case of fratricide.
“The slain cops were travelling from north Kashmir’s Sopore to the Subsidiary Training Centre (STC) Talwara in Reasi district of Jammu region, investigation in the case is on to ascertain the reasons behind the act.”
Why such acts?
A study published by the tri-series think tank United Service Institution of India (USI), the major organizational cause of stress amongst army and other para-military force.
According to a study published by the tri-services think tank United Service Institution of India (USI), the major organisational causes of stress amongst Army officers include inadequacies in the quality of leadership, overburdened commitments, frequent dislocations, lack of fairness and transparency in postings and promotions, insufficient accommodation and non-grant of leave. Similarly, when it is within close colleagues, it also may be due to sudden spontaneous heated exchanges over some petty issue.
Solutions: Phycologists and life coaches suggest that there is dire need of regular meditation practice or counselling sessions inside all uniform forces camps to remove such pressure which can turn into deadly acts. They also suggest that the officers should thin the gap between the senior and junior ranks.
Recent History of such events : April 12, 2023: death of four Army jawans during an incident of fratricide at the Bathinda Military Station had shaken the Indian Army. In an official statement, officials said it was not a terror incident, terming it as a ‘fratricidal issue’.
Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir – July 15, 2022: Two Army men were killed and two others were injured in a fratricide incident in an Army camp at Surankote in the border district of Poonch. An army official said an altercation took place between some soldiers stationed at 156 Territorial Army camp around 5.30 am, and in a fit of anger, one of the soldiers fired on three of his colleagues. The soldier later shot himself dead using his own service rifle.
Pathankot, Punjab – June 27, 2022: In an incident of fratricide, an Indian Army jawan opened indiscriminate fire from his service weapon and killed two of his colleagues early morning in the Mirthal cantonment of Punjab’s Pathankot district.
Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir – September 20, 2021: An Army soldier was shot dead by his colleague following an argument during a patrol in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. A defence spokesman said the incident took place at Lassipura village in the Kupwara district this afternoon.