Why are incidents of fragging increasing?

The term fragging is the assassination or attempted assassination by a soldier of a fellow colleague or a superior officer merely out of disgust. The term fragging coined by the US during the Vietnam War is now often used to encompass any means used to deliberately and directly cause the death of defense services colleagues.

A number of factors have influenced the incidence of fragging. Commonly fragging can take on a psychological and social aspect, similar to shunning, or mobbing. It is a group form of bullying, whereby an individual is systematically targeted by a group and slowly marginalized and neutralized in his or her social and professional effectiveness within an organization or division of the organization.

While all incidences of fragging and related crimes need be condoled in the strictest words and discouraged, a solution for the cause is necessary for all. Some of the basic yet very important aspect of human psychology is compassion, lack of which often a nodal cause for most of the unfortunate happenings.

The increasing work load and personal pressures and problems are also leading to increasing incidence of disobedience and arrogant behavior noticed.

While engaged in the toughest job or involved in any size of task where duty may come before self or even in the day-to-day workings, the old saying “respect begets respect” need be remembered, the lack of which creates many troubles. It does not mean that respect be physically shown by pleasing gestures or sweet words or for the matter tolerating the nuisance, it basically means the human angle of all aspects should never be overlooked while maintaining strict discipline. If need be diplomatically a situation be handled and diffused before it takes an ugly shape.

A hard task master is never a problem if he possesses the qualities of compassion and team co-ordination. If these qualities are not there he is equally responsible for the consequences along with the accused or an offender. This applies not only to defense and security personnel’s but in all trades.

Enforcement of regulations especially in defense and security forces if done overzealously can create awkward situations making troops' or people complaining and sometimes threats of physical violence directed toward officers and colleagues.

The rapid rotation of people, those under extreme working conditions is essential. This accounts for another crucial area where indifference occurs among subordinates if handled inappropriately.

There are exceptions where even after taking all human factors into consideration by superiors’ incidences of fragging or someone going berserk or behaving in an irrational way acting in a wild rage disregarding even his own life for lack of his mental instability and inability to handle a situation may have come to light, but in most cases there are logical reason the cause of brutality which could be averted had both or even one side displayed a little understanding of the cause or the situation. 

The recent young ITBP soldier killing his superior and hurting others in Mussoorie or a young police cop on duty shooting himself with service gun recently at the Raj Bhawan and countless such incidences of the recent past taking place around the country, for any reason, need be taken cognizance off and rectifications measures be evolved.

Periodic psychology refresher trainings for men in uniform of all ranks needed to make them more mentally strong thus minimizing unforeseen incidences like the ones just mentioned above. Psychology is a powerful tool that helps study of mind and behavior understanding people and groups by establishing general principles and researching specific cases.

A periodic psychological test of security people is the need of the hour. The psychology of new recruits in defense services should be thoroughly checked before their induction. Counseling session apprising them about the life’s hardships and odds they may have to face during their duties should be clearly rather than have them enter their career from the deep ends. Those being inducted in the defense forces ensured they take up the career by choice with the aim of serving in a strict disciplined environment and not as any other job to earn money and perks.

Like wise the seniors too exposed to trainings that help them understand those they command. Ego should not cause uneasiness between seniors and juniors.

Practicing yoga on a regular basis by those involved in working in extreme conditions be made mandatory. Your brain activity, your body chemistry, even your genetic makeup gets changed by practicing yoga.