83 Indian security personnel commit suicide in 2002

NEW DELHI, Aug 5 (AFP) - Eighty-three Indian security personnel committed suicide in 2002, one-third more than the year before, junior home minister I. D. Swami told parliament Tuesday.

Swami said most of the suicides were committed by troops in the paramilitary Border Security Force, which is on the frontlines in the fight against insurgencies in Kashmir and various parts of northeastern India.

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In 2001, 62 suicides were reported by Indian security personnel, he said.

Indian forces spent much of last year at crisis-level alert as India and Pakistan deployed an estimated one million troops to their common borders after a December 2001 attack on the Indian parliament.

But Swami said most reasons attributed for the suicides were not directly linked to the military situation.

"Various reasons for these suicides have been reported including domestic and personal problems, marital discord or strained relations with spouses, inability to fulfil social commitments, depression, prolonged illness, financial hardships and intoxication," the minister said.

pk/sct/br

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