Suicides in Army not Inordinate: Army

New Delhi, July 6 (UNI) Rubbishing views to the contrary, the Army today dubbed ''untrue'' media reports which suggest that suicides in the Army outnumbered deaths suffered during security operations.

''While the Army is deeply concerned for every loss of life due to suicides, it is entirely untrue that the number of suicides in the Army outnumber deaths due to operations'', an official spokesperson here said.

Pointing out that the Indian Army had served the nation with ''courage and fortitude in difficult circumstances'' for many years and had worked upon ''constructive suggestions and even criticism'' to improve various facets of its functioning, the spokesperson observed that ''some reports as concerning factual details of suicides'' in the Army needed correction.

Elaborating, he assered that ''the approximate ratio'' for last four years -- 2003-06 -- had been approximately one suicide to 3.7 operational deaths.

''This year too, the suicides are far less in number as compared to the operational casualties'', he said.

As for suicides by women officers in the Army, ''three women officers -- including one from the Army Medical Corps -- committed suicide in the past three years'', he added.

UNI