NEW DELHI: The Army will double the number of psychiatrists and increase stress management counselling for troops posted in Jammu & Kashmir and the North-East following alleged suicides by a couple of its officers, including a lady. It also plans to set up two psychological centres in the "high pressure'' areas of the region, said Deputy Director-General of the Army Liaison Cell Raj Sujlana at a news conference on Saturday. He was explaining the circumstances surrounding the deaths of gallantry award winner Sumit Kohli and a recently recruited lady officer Susmita Chakraborthy.

Psychological counsellors

Another initiative at an "advanced stage of implementation'' is the recruitment of psychological counsellors at various levels of army formations posted in these "high pressure'' areas. "We have also been conducting regular workshops, stress management and yoga courses besides regular analysis of troops' mental well-being in order to take preventive measures,'' said Gen. Sujlana. A multi-thousand crore rupee project to build more houses would enable troops to accommodate their families at family stations and thus reduce the stress of being away from their families, he added.

Suicides after leave

The Army, he said, had noticed that most of the 420 suicides by its men in the past four years had taken place after the troops returned from leave. "These suicides have happened more due to marital, financial, medical problems and issues relating to education of children. We have regular interviews of troops after they come back from leave, identify those who have problems and give them counselling.''

The Army would examine the possibility of faster turn-around of troops performing counter-insurgency duties but the officer pointed out that it takes a new unit six to eight months to establish the intelligence grid.

"So the present [posting] of two years is adequate. But we will definitely look into it. It is a matter of concern.''

On the alleged suicide by Capt. Kohli, the Army showed photographs of his body, bullet marks and the post mortem examination report conducted by a civilian doctor in J&K to claim that it was not a case of murder as alleged by his wife and mother. Gen. Sujlana was initially reluctant to reveal the findings from a search of his personal belongings "to avoid further grief and embarrassment to his family.'' He later said a board of officers found a framed photograph of a lady with whom his engagement had fallen through besides several capsules of an anti-psychotic drug.

On the suicide by Lieutenant Chakraborthy, he said the Army would "learn from the episode'' and refine management of lady officers.

"We look forward to more women joining the Army,'' he said, adding that inquiry reports into two cases of alleged sexual harassment would be revealed after they were completed.

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