Another CRPF jawan commits suicide in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 30: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan from Kerala committed suicide in the Kashmir valley as introduction of yoga and Art of Living failed to stop the trend among the security forces, engaged in counter insurgency operation, from taking extreme step.

Official sources said A Srikumar, a resident of Kerala, shot himself with his service weapon at Tral camp of 185 battalion last night.

He was immediately shifted to hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Srikumar, who had joined the force in 1999, had returned only in October last year after availing himself of two month leave.

It was not immediately known why he took the extreme step.

The trend to take extreme step among the security forces, engaged in counter insurgency operations in the valley, has not shown any decline even after authorities introduced yoga and Art of Living to help them to come out from stress.

More than two dozen soldiers, including some officers, committed suicide in the Jammu and Kashmir during the past three years. An equal number were killed by their colleagues in the valley.

A soldier was sentenced to life imprisonment after he killed a Lt Colonel at Harwan last year.

Family dispute and work stress are the main reasons for taking extreme steps, official sources said.

UNI