Armed forces lose 396 men to suicides, fratricides in 3 years

The armed forces have lost 396 personnel to suicides and fratricides in the last three years, Defence Minister A K Antony informed the Rajya Sabha today.

The armed forces have lost 396 personnel to suicides and fratricides in the last three years, Defence Minister A K Antony informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

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However, in terms of both suicides and fratricides, there is a downward trend in the services as only 112 personnel died in 2009 against 150 and 134 personnel in 2007 and 2008, he said in a written reply.

To another query on cause of accidents in the Air Force, he said during the last five years, "approximately 40 per cent of the aircraft accidents in the IAF were due to human error."

He said various steps have been taken by the government to prevent accidents due to human error including use of simulators to practice procedures and emergency actions.

Answering a query on the Light Combat Helicopter, Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju said the attack chopper would be ready in Initial Operational Configuration by December 2012.

The helicopter would be first inducted in the Air Force and then in other services, he added.