Archive · 15 Aug 2026
NHRC issues notice over reported suicides of 19 CRPF personnel
Sometimes, people whose job is to keep our country safe can feel very sad and stressed.
A news report said that 19 members of a big police force called the CRPF died by suicide between January and May.
That is a lot, and it worried a group called the National Human Rights Commission, or NHRC.
The NHRC is a special government group that protects people's rights.
It sent letters to the government asking for a detailed report about the suicides within two weeks.
The NHRC also read about two workers who were cleaning a dirty underground hole called a manhole without any safety equipment.
One worker died because of bad gases inside the hole, and another one got hurt.
The factory owner had asked the workers to clean the manhole.
Now the NHRC wants officials to investigate what happened, help the injured worker, and take care of the family of the worker who died.
The NHRC issued notices to the Union home ministry and the CRPF director general over reports that 19 CRPF personnel died by suicide between January and May 22, 2026.
The CRPF reportedly recorded 59 suicides in 2025, the highest number in the last five years.
A media report said 281 CRPF personnel died by suicide over the last five years, of whom approximately 216 were on duty.
The NHRC separately took suo motu cognisance of a manhole accident at a factory in Sector-25, Faridabad, Haryana, where one worker died and another was injured after inhaling toxic gases without safety equipment.
Detailed reports were sought within two weeks from the home secretary, CRPF director general, Haryana chief secretary and Faridabad police commissioner.
- Who
- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which issued notices to the Union home secretary, the CRPF director general, the Haryana chief secretary and the Faridabad police commissioner.
- What
- The NHRC took suo motu cognisance of media reports of 19 CRPF suicides since January and of a fatal manhole accident in Faridabad, seeking detailed reports within two weeks.
- When
- Notices were issued on Friday, August 14, 2026; the media reports were carried on August 11; the reported suicides occurred between January and May 22, 2026.
- Where
- New Delhi, where the NHRC acted; and Sector-25 of Faridabad district, Haryana, where the manhole accident occurred.
- Why
- Because the reports, if true, raise serious issues of violation of the right to life of CRPF personnel and of human rights in the manhole incident.
- Issuing authority
- National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
- Reported CRPF suicides (Jan-May 22, 2026)
- 19
- CRPF suicides in 2025
- 59, reportedly highest in five years
- CRPF suicides in last five years
- 281, with approximately 216 on duty
- Year-wise CRPF suicides
- 57 (2021), 43 (2022), 57 (2023), 46 (2024), 59 (2025)
- Deadline for detailed reports
- Within two weeks
- Manhole accident
- One worker died, one injured; Sector-25, Faridabad, Haryana; entered without safety equipment
- Notices sent to
- Home Secretary (MHA), CRPF Director General, Haryana Chief Secretary, Faridabad Police Commissioner
Sources
NHRC notice to MHA over reported suicide of 19 CRPF personnel between Jan-May
NHRC notice to Centre over 19 reported deaths by suicide of CRPF personnel between January and May
NHRC notice to MHA over suicide of 19 CRPF jawans since Jan