Weary CISF will test stress levels to control rage within ranks

BANGALORE: A Karandekar, deputy commandant of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), lost his life when Raj Namdeo, a constable in the force, shot him at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai three years ago. 

It took police seven hours to persuade Namdeo to surrender, and to secure the release of six police personnel, including five women, whom he had taken hostage.

The 22-year-old constable had been denied leave and killed his senior in a burst of anger. Such breakdowns, experts say, stem from a condition that every CISF employee suffers from — stress. SIS Ahmed, director-general of the CISF, admits that stress and fatigue make personnel lose their cool very often.

That realisation has prompted the CISF to launch an initiative to anticipate and effectively respond to emotional crises within the ranks. The force has introduced psychoanalytic tests for its personnel to monitor stress-related symptoms, including suicidal tendencies.

According to official figures, around 600 incidents of death, assault, and scuffle have been reported as the outcome of stress in the last four years. “This test will help us determine the stress-absorbing capacity of the personnel and place them accordingly in low- or high-stress sectors,” Ahmed said.

Another reason why stress is a major health concern in the CISF is its effect on performance. “Long working hours and limited sleep lead to fatigue,” said a consulting general surgeon for the CISF.

The CISF, a paramilitary force, was set up in June 1983 to provide security to more than 260 industrial establishments and airports across India. The force has 95,000 personnel in its ranks.

The CISF, however, has been facing a shortage of personnel in certain sectors, one of them being airports. “When on high alert, the duty period doubles, constricting our personnel’s social lives, which in turn leads to frustration,” said a top CISF official. Metro airports have been on alert since the 11/7 train blasts in Mumbai.

In addition to introducing psychoanalytic tests, the CISF has placed a premium on improving communication skills. “These measures have been taken to effect smoother interaction between senior officers and subordinates,” a CISF officer said.

The initiative, which was launched six months ago as a pilot project in Delhi, is producing positive results, according to Ahmed. Soon, the programme will be extended to other cities as well, the director-general said.