Rattled Maria orders psycho-analysis of city police force, sets May 10 deadline
Police will now hold zone-wise lectures on mental health and ask each officer to fill a questionnaire of 25 pointers.
Commissioner of Police Rakesh Maria at the Chandanwadi crematorium on Sunday after attending the funeral of slain Senior Inspector Vilas Joshi of the Vakola police station. (Source: Express photo by Pradip Das)
Following Saturday’s incident, Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria has set May 10 as the deadline to kickstart psychological analysis of over 45,000 police officers in the city.
The Mumbai Police will now hold zone-wise lectures on mental health and ask each officer to fill a questionnaire of 25 pointers.
“The questions will be to understand their work pressure, depression, anxiety and any other mental problem. Those identified will be individually approached to get medically treated,” said Dr Yusuf Matcheswala, psychiatry unit head at JJ hospital and coordinator of the project.
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The questionnaire has been formed by four city-based psychiatrists, including Dr Avinash D’souza and honorary psychiatrist of police officers, Dr Kaminidevi Bhoir.
According to Bhoir, all psychiatry departments from medical colleges, police hospitals and organisations will be roped in. There will be 200 police officers participating in each lecture, and a team of psychiatrists assigned for each zone.
“We will also submit our recommendations to the police as we will only provide medical treatment. For recreational aspect, the administration will have to decide,” Matcheswala said. A meeting of the core committee has been scheduled on Sunday night following which a final meeting with the commissioner will be held on Tuesday.
The suicide highlighted the need to have regular mental health check-ups for the entire police force in addition to
periodic physical examination they undergo, mental health experts say.
Paras Sharma, programme co-ordinator of iCall mental helpline service under the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), said that this incident must not be seen as an isolated case.
“This is largely indicative of the stressful life police officers lead. They have no recreational
activities and no fitness regime. The outcome is either depression and submissive behaviour or aggression, as it was in this case,” he said.
Statistics from National Crime Records Bureau shows that Maharashtra reported highest suicides in 2013 across India with 16,622 cases.
It also recorded highest suicides by police officers at 40. In 2012, 28 police officers had taken the extreme step in Maharashtra, the second highest across the country.
Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty said that while there are ad-hoc sessions by the police force to discuss mental health, the process is not systematic. “There are close to 92 per cent constables in the police force. They see so much pain that they are dehumanised. Plus, they do not get enough emotional contact with their families.”
Bhoir, who counsels mentally distressed officers, said that several approach her with complaints of no family suport and pressure from seniors. “At such a point, we try to communicate with the senior to find a solution. In most cases, it gets solved,” Bhoir said.
Extreme Steps
September 1, 2014: Sub Inspector Sandeep Pokarnikar (24), posted at the Gamdevi police station, committed suicide by hanging at his home. The police believed that the reason was personal. A woman he was to marry, married another man.
February 2, 2014: Constable Vaishali Pingat (29) posted at the Thane railway police station shot herself inside the armoury of the police station. She had married an already married male constable posted at the Thane GRP and had been living in Titwala with him and his first wife.
November 17, 2013: Constable Parvez Pathan posted at Mira Road police station committed suicide by hanging at his home following a quarrel with his wife.
August 1, 2013: Assistant Inspector Chandrakant Mahajan (42) shot himself with his service weapon in his cabin at Chunabhatti police station. He found out that his wife had taken their children to her parents’ home in Nashik.
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