Bhawanipatna: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) member was found deceased in an apparent suicide in Odisha, raising alarms over the mental health challenges faced by Indian security personnel.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the CRPF serviceman, identified as Arjun Charan Nayak of the 64th Battalion, was discovered hanging in the CRPF Colony in the Bhawanipatna area of Kalahandi district. Nayak’s battalion has been actively engaged in anti-Naxalite operations. Authorities have since recovered his body and sent it for postmortem to ascertain further details.

This tragic incident coincides with the death of Indian Coast Guard Director General Rakesh Pal, who passed away due to cardiac arrest at a government hospital in Chennai. These events underscore a concerning pattern of mental health issues and physical stress within the ranks of India’s armed forces.

Experts point to continuous deployments in high-stress environments, insufficient mental health support, and challenging working conditions as key factors contributing to the distress among military and paramilitary personnel. The recent increase in such incidents calls for urgent attention to the psychological and physical well-being of those serving in India’s security forces.