A total of 436 personnel of paramilitary forces Central Armed Police Forces, National Security Guard and Assam Rifles have died by suicide in the last three years, the Union Home Ministry informed Parliament on Wednesday.

Maximum number of suicides were reported in the Central Reserve Police Force as 154 personnel killed themselves in the last three years, while 111 suicides were reported in the Border Security Force. Sixty-three Central Industrial Security Force died by suicide between 2020 and 2022, data shared by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai showed.

The minister said that the Centre has set up a task force to suggest remedial measures for prevention of suicides and fratricides. He also listed a number of measures taken to prevent cases of suicides in the security forces. This includes transparent policies pertaining to transfer and leave, regular interaction of officers with troops, improving living conditions for troops, providing adequate recreational activities.

There are currently 84,866 vacancies in the Central Armed Police Forces, the ministry also said on Wednesday in reply to a separate question. The Central Reserve Police Force has the highest number of vacancies at 29,283, followed by Border Security Force at 19,987 and Central Industrial Security Force at 19,475.

“Vacancies in CAPFs arise on account of retirements, resignation, promotion, death, raising of Battalion, creation of new posts etc,” Centre said in a written reply. “Recruitment of 31,785 personnel in CAPFs has been done in the past five months.”

As many as 247 positions for doctors lie vacant in the Central Armed Police Forces, while vacancies for nurses and other medical professionals is at 2,354, the ministry said.