Question : Fratricide Incident in Amritsar

(a) whether the Government has taken note of recent incidents of fratricide by personnel of paramilitary forces including the incidents in Amritsar on 6th March and in Murshidabad on 8th March this year;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the causes of such incidents along with the subsequent action taken thereon;

(c) whether the families of the jawans killed will be provided monetary compensation, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) whether the alleged shooter at Amritsar was reportedly being treated for depression and was overworked, if so, the details thereof and the reasons for not taking it into account; and

(e) whether the BSF is suffering from a shortfall of troops amounting to around 17000 non-officer rank soldiers and 288 officers and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. Two incidents of fratricide have taken place, one in Amritsar (Punjab) on 06.03.2022 and the other in Murshidabad (West Bengal) on 07.03.2022. In Amritsar incident, a Constable opened indiscriminate fire from his official weapon on his colleagues in General


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Diary office and Other Ranks Barrack at Battalion Head Quarter. Five BSF personnel received bullet injuries out of which four succumbed to death during their treatment in hospital. The accused Constable also succumbed to death during treatment probably due to ricochet of bullet fired from the weapon. In the second incident at Border Outpost (BOP) Kakmarichar of 177 Battalion in Murshidabad, a Head Constable shot dead another Head Constable and subsequently, he shot himself to death.

In both cases, FIRs have been registered under Section 302 IPC & Sections 25/27 of Arms Acts with the Local Police. Such incidents are also investigated through departmental ‘Staff Court of Inquiry’ to ascertain the exact cause of the incident and other related issues.

The causative factor in most of such incidents are generally personal and domestic problem, family issues, depression and work related issues. To identify relevant risk factors as well as relevant risk groups and suggest remedial measures for prevention of suicides/fratricides in CAPFs, Ministry of Home Affairs have constituted a Task Force under the chairmanship of Special Secretary (Internal Security) which includes representatives from all CAPFs. The measures undertaken to promote mental health and well-being of Jawans in CAPFs are given in Annexure.



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(c): The next of Kin (NOK) of the deceased Force personnel in such incidents are eligible for following monetary compensation in addition to applicable pensionary benefits:-

(i) Rs.30 lakh to NOKs of each of the personnel under Golden Jubilee Seema Prahari Kalyan Kawach Scheme.
(ii) Rs.25 lakh as ex-gratia compensation to all the jawans who lost their lives except those who committed the incident and subsequently committed suicide.

(d): As per available records and Annual Medical Examination held on 19.02.2022, the medical category of the accused Constable of Amritsar incident was SHAPE-I.

(e): As on 01.03.2022, there are 357 vacancies in the Officers grade and 22,558 vacancies in the below Officers grades.Filling up of vacant posts is an ongoing process through prescribed mode of recruitment viz. direct recruitment, deputation and promotion. All efforts are made to fill up vacant posts expeditiously.
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