CRPF suicides hit five-year high in 2025; constabulary accounts for over 80%

New Delhi: Cases of suicides in the country's largest paramilitary force, CRPF, recorded their highest number at 59 in 2025 over the last five years, with staffers in the constabulary comprising more than 80 per cent of those who ended their lives, official sources said on Thursday.

In more than 77 per cent of cases, these deaths took place when the personnel were on duty, 202 cases out of a total of 262, while the rest occurred when they were on leave, the sources said, citing official data for the period between 2021-25.

While there was no official response from the force, CRPF officials told PTI that the paramilitary has initiated several measures to ensure good physical and mental health of the troops and this process was ongoing.


It has been largely found that maximum suicide cases are linked to issues at home, which is coupled with the rigours of service and hard duties, the officials said.

The about 3.25 lakh personnel-strong Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is the lead internal security force of the country. Officials state that at any given time about 95-97 per cent of CRPF's operational strength is on duty tackling terrorists and insurgents or rendering law and order duties.

While 59 personnel ended their lives last year (2025), the number was 46 in 2024, 57 in 2023, 43 in 2022 and 57 in 2021, the officials said.

Out of these, in five-year numbers, 128 personnel took the extreme step by hanging themselves, 118 shot themselves, 12 consumed poison and in two cases each the personnel jumped before a train and cut their veins or throat, the sources said.

The sources added that out of the total 281 personnel who took the extreme step during the last five years (including 19 till July 2026), 237 personnel belong to the non-gazetted ranks, 43 were subordinate officers, while one instance pertained to a gazetted officer.

The sources said the data shows that non-gazetted officials form about 84 per cent of the personnel who ended their lives over these five years.

The non-gazetted officials hold the ranks of constable and head constable; the subordinate officers are in the ranks of Inspector, Sub Inspector and Assistant Sub Inspector, while Gazetted Officers are those in the rank of Assistant Commandant and above.