Police in Maoist-hit Chhattisgarh to provide music therapy to check suicides of personnel

Authorities are scrambling to check rising suicides among personnel posted in Maoist-hit areas which climbed to 36 until November 30 this year from 12 last year.

With the number of suicides and scuffles among its personnel posted in Maoist-hit region on the rise, the Chhattisgarh police has decided to address the concerns of depression and mental stress through ‘music therapy’.

Security forces after a Maoist attack at a remote place called Jhiram Ghati. (HT Photro)

Authorities are scrambling to check rising suicides among personnel posted in Maoist-hit areas which climbed to 36 until November 30 this year from 12 last year.

Officials belive the reasons behind the suicides are many. “The main issues are lack of communication with family and work pressure. They live in constant pressure and difficult situation, which impact their mental health,” said special director general of police (Naxal operations) DM Awasthi.

Besides suicides, fratricides too have been reported. Two days ago, a CRPF constable shot dead four of his colleagues in Basaguda in Bijapur district of Bastar.

But experts believe music is often used to relax patients and prevent depression, and is a subjective therapy that might not work on everyone. “Music therapy depends on the patient’s personality…it might not be effective in cases of severe depression and suicidal tendencies,” said Manjeet Bhatia, director, professor and head of the psychiatry department at Delhi’s Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.

Awasthi told HT that a five-member team of clinical psychologists will visit police camps for regular psychiatric screening of the personnel.