NO LONGER AT EASE – 216 Police Officers in State take their lives in 8 years

21-Sep-2015

Work Pressure, Faulty Grievance Redressal Mechanism Cause Of Suicides, Say Experts
The death of Tiruchengode depu ty superintendent of police R Vishnu priya has brought into focus the alarming number of suicides among the police personnel in the state.

According to National Crime Records Bureau, 216 police officers, including women, from Tamil Nadu have ended their lives between 2006 and 2013, the second highest in the country after Maharashtra (268). On an average, in Tamil Nadu, 27 khaki-clad officers committed suicide every year for various reasons.

Experts say unbearable pressure, long working hours, VIP duty , physical and sexual harassment have increased the stress levels among the state’s police officers. The grievance redressal mechanism fails to serve the purpose mainly because of pressure from seniors. Most victims rarely lodge complaints fearing humiliation or backlash of transfers, suspension or additional duty during odd hours.

Retired DGP S Thilagavathy said a huge number of vacancies in the police department means immense work pressure for the existing force. “Many police officers are unable spend adequate time with their family because of the odd timings. Several officers have family disputes and have health issues. I have come across s eve r a l c a s e s where women po lice officers had committed suicide as they didn’t want to stay alone at night in police stations,“ he said.

R Godhanavalli, a counsellor who deals with police personnel and criminals, said police officers are subjected to pressure from the influential class. “They also are not allowed to speak above their rank. The pressure to meet deadlines, swallow pride in front of seniors, and handle influence from outside take a toll on a majority of them. It affects women a lot more because they have to handle expectations at home too. Frustration creeps in early and they wonder if this is worth at all,“ said Godhanavalli.

The department for its part said it provides counselling sessions to officers to combat pressure. “We have a proper complaint mechanism to attend complaints. The number of suicides among the police officers in TN is higher because we have a higher number of officers than other states,“ said a senior police officer.

Despite these sessions, the police department is among the toughest place to work for women in the country, said Chennaibased consultant psychologist Vasuki Mathiavanan who organises gender sensitisation workshops for the police. “They work extremely long hours without a break, and face harassment, emotional abuse and humiliation from their male superiors and colleagues almost on a daily basis.They also get mentally affected because of the long hours in the sun, dealing with influences and pressure of balancing their private lives,“ she said.

Back to News

News

Other News

GodhanaCounseling

Quick Links

News

Brochure