"Study hard and find a job anywhere, but not in the police department," wrote 48-year-old police driver Jobi D Das in his final letter to his children. Jobi, from the Kalamassery Armed Reserve (AR) camp, was found dead at his home in October 2023. His suicide, linked to work pressure and family troubles, is not an isolated incident but part of a growing crisis within the Kerala police force.
Over the past five years, 88 police officers in Kerala have taken their own lives. Lower-ranking officers, in particular, are burdened with excessive workloads, unpredictable hours, and a lack of work-life balance, exacerbating their mental health struggles. Despite the increasing numbers, the police department and government continue to grapple with effective solutions.
Unmanageable duty hours
“When we start work at 8 am, we have no idea when we'll return home — whether after 18 hours, 24 hours, or sometimes even longer,” an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) told TNM. The officer, like many of his colleagues, spoke of the impossibility of dreaming about an eight-hour shift. “It’s just not our reality.”
Most of the officers TNM spoke to wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons.
During a recent session of the Kerala Assembly, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who also serves as the state’s Home Minister, acknowledged the difficulty of implementing eight-hour shifts across the police force. He noted that while it had been introduced in 52 police stations, scaling this up across all stations remains a challenge. Most stations are critically understaffed, and officers are forced to work overtime, often performing double duties.
Salary structure and staffing shortages
The stress is compounded by the wide gap between salaries and the workload that officers endure.
The staffing crisis is stark. A report submitted by Inspector General Harshita Attaluri highlights a critical shortfall of over 15,000 officers across Kerala’s 20 districts. The department urgently needs:
5 Individual Police Officers (IOP)
580 Sub-Inspectors (SI)
1,819 Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI)
6,196 Senior Civil Police Officers (SCPO)
6,476 Civil/Women Police Officers (CPO/WCPO)
This deficit leaves officers overworked and struggling to manage the increasing workload. Here’s a breakdown of staffing needs by the police district:
A crisis of mental and physical health
The constant pressure has not only taken a toll on work performance but also on the mental and physical health of police personnel. Civil Police Officers (CPOs) and Senior Civil Police Officers (SCPOs) are tasked with everything from sentry duties to investigating minor cases, often working long hours without adequate rest.
The stress within the police force has manifested in tragic suicides, with three particularly haunting cases standing out from recent months.
Vizhinjam Sub-Inspector Kuruvila George, 45, had only been transferred to his new station five months before his death. His colleagues describe him as a man who was battling inner turmoil, exacerbated by his work. On June 8, the same day he took medical leave, George was found dead in his Kottayam home. His sudden death sent shockwaves through the department, with many officers privately admitting that they, too, struggled to cope with the pressures of their job.
Just six days later, Ratheesh, a 40-year-old station house officer (SHO) in Idukki’s Vandanmedu, took his own life in a hotel room. He was due to return from medical leave that very day. In his final hours, Ratheesh called a colleague and ominously hinted at his plans, asking them to be prepared for the inquest procedure. His death underscored a deeper issue — the inability of officers to recover from the physical and mental strain even when they step away temporarily.
In Ernakulam, Infopark Civil Police Officer (CPO) Madhu, 48, was found dead in his ancestral home on June 11. He had been on medical leave following his separation from his wife, and though no note was left behind, his family and friends said his declining mental health had been clear in recent months. Madhu’s story is a painful reminder of how work stress often bleeds into personal lives, with devastating consequences.
According to a report from the Intelligence Department, around 30 police personnel die by suicide each year in Kerala, with many citing work pressure as a key reason. The Kerala Assembly has repeatedly debated the issue, with both the Opposition and the Chief Minister acknowledging that work pressure likely played a role in these tragedies.
No weekly day off
The overwhelming workload has left officers unable to take even their allotted weekly days off. "Even if we work more than 24 hours, there aren’t decent resting rooms or washrooms in most of the police stations,” another officer explained.
Granting regular off days is nearly impossible, especially in understaffed stations. “If a station has 50 officers, seven would need to take their off day each day, and that’s just not sustainable,” said Suraj (name changed). In reality, many stations are operating with far fewer personnel, making the idea of a day off almost inconceivable.
Advocate Jayasankar, a labour lawyer based in Kerala told TNM that police officials work under the service law and not according to the labour law. “The higher authority can deploy the police officials at any time, to any place. In their sector, due to the nature of their job, they must obey without question. There is a hierarchy within the police force as well. They don't work according to labour laws but under service laws,” he said.
The Kerala Police Act, 2011 says that police officers, though liable to perform duties for any length of time as may be required, shall not normally be expected to work for more than eight hours a day. “The duty hours of police officers may exceed beyond eight hours in a day in case of any unavoidable or emergent duty: Provided that no police officer shall refrain from discharging any duty assigned to him or withdraw himself from any urgent or essential duty without the permission of superior officers on the ground that he has worked for more than eight hours in any twenty-four hour period,” the act states.
The service conditions section in the KP Act says, “Every police officer, except on leave or specifically exempted or under suspension, shall for all purposes of this Act, be liable at all times to discharge duties and be deployed as a police officer in any part of India as may be decided by the State Police Chief.”
Vicious cycle of frustration
For many Kerala police officers, the daily grind has become a source of deep dissatisfaction. "We are sacrificing our family time and health, and yet we still have low work satisfaction. There’s no time for a proper investigation, and that creates a feeling of guilt. We want to serve the public well, but it’s impossible under these conditions," one officer said.
The combination of understaffing, excessive workloads, and a lack of work-life balance leaves many feeling like they’re failing in both their professional duties and personal lives.
Officers are expected to handle a wide range of responsibilities — from investigating cases to handling petty crimes and maintaining law and order — all while adhering to strict quotas for minor offences like traffic violations. "We have a quota for petty cases like riding without a helmet or drunk driving," Suraj explained. "Sometimes we catch 10 people, and eight of them have political connections. What can we do? We target ordinary people just to meet the quota and go home."
This pressure to meet quotas, combined with a lack of proper investigation time for more serious cases, creates a sense of guilt and frustration. "We don’t have time for a proper investigation, and that creates a feeling of guilt. Sometimes we are forced to work by compromising our sense of justice," another officer said.
The rigid hierarchy within the police force compounds these issues. Lower-ranked officers often bear the brunt of any errors, regardless of where the mistake originated. "The blame always comes down to us, even if it’s not our fault," Arun (name changed), a sub-inspector, said. This constant scapegoating only deepens the frustration and makes it difficult for officers to find meaning and satisfaction in their jobs.
A female police officer TNM spoke with explained how the work pressure affects women officers differently.
“Unlike the majority of the male officers, we have additional responsibilities at home such as waking up early, cooking, and taking care of children and elderly parents. I come to the office every day at 9 am and leave around 8 pm. But when cases involving women or children are reported late in the evening or even at night, I need to stay at the station or go with them to the hospital. Only two weeks ago our station’s female strength increased to four. Before that, we had only two female officers,” she said.
She also highlighted that, in recent times, crimes against women and children has increased, however, the number of female officers has not increased enough to handle the cases. “Sometimes women who come to register the complaint need someone to listen to them. Due to the workload, we are not even able to fully listen to them,” she said. Aligning with the male officers' opinion, she also emphasised that increasing the number of officers is essential to address this issue.
Custodial violence
The toll of long hours, stress, and frustration is not just limited to the personal lives of police officers — it also has darker implications for those in police custody. Custodial violence is a grim reality in Kerala, and officers say they sometimes lash out “as a result of the unbearable working conditions.”
"That cruelty you hear about in custody — it often comes from the irritation and pressure we face," admitted one officer. "How can we provide justice to the people when we ourselves are never getting it?"
Incidents of custodial deaths have been reported consistently across Kerala. In 2020, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) revealed that the state witnessed eight custodial deaths during the 2018-2019 period. More recently, a 17-year-old named Parthipan was brutally beaten by officers at the Pala police station in 2023, leaving him with a severe spinal fracture. Another incident in 2022 involved Suresh Kumar, who died in custody after being arrested on assault charges. His death was attributed to chest pain, but his family alleged custodial torture.
Though there are procedures and laws in place, such as the Supreme Court’s 2006 ruling that called for separating the roles of law enforcement and investigation, these reforms have yet to be fully implemented in Kerala. This systemic failure exacerbates the potential for abuse and further strains the relationship between police and the public.
The price paid by families
For many officers, the lack of time spent with their families has strained their personal lives to the breaking point. "How can we have family time when we leave home early in the morning and come back late at night?" Arun (name changed), a sub-inspector, asked. The cumulative toll of these hours often causes personal issues that remain unresolved, leading to further emotional stress.
One officer recounted how his family had adjusted to the unpredictability of his work. “We used to plan family outings or dinners, but after a while, my family stopped expecting me to make it. Now, they don’t count on me being there at all,” he said, adding that this growing disconnect only worsens the feeling of isolation and helplessness.
The impact of hierarchy and financial struggles
The rigid hierarchy within the police force often intensifies feelings of powerlessness among lower-ranked officers. Officers like Umesh shared how they are frequently punished for minor mistakes, sometimes facing salary reductions or denied increments. “My salary has been pending for eight months because my higher-ups didn’t process my medical leave properly,” Umesh said. This financial instability only deepens the frustration among officers.
Increments withheld over extended periods can significantly impact officers' financial stability:
For officers like Umesh, the impact of missing increments is severe. “I haven’t received any increment in the past five years. The salary difference between me and my batchmates is now Rs 12,000 a month,” he explained. Officers on suspension or those who challenge the system often face even greater financial instability.
Government interventions
In response to the rising suicide numbers, the Kerala government has proposed several measures. Police officers are now eligible for leave on special occasions such as their wedding anniversaries and children’s birthdays. Additionally, a weekly day off and full admissible holidays have been proposed. However, these reforms have not yet been fully implemented, leaving many officers without the benefits.
The government also introduced mandatory yoga sessions for police personnel, but officers argue that this initiative only adds to their stress. “Instead of our usual 8 a.m. reporting time, on yoga days, we have to be at the station by 7 a.m.,” an officer explained. “We lose an hour of sleep or time with our families.”
In 2017, a project was initiated by the Kerala police department called HATS — Help and Assistance to Tackle Stress — to help its employees with their mental health problems. According to reports, 6,000 persons, including the family members of officers, have sought help in the last seven years.
While Kerala’s police force faces enormous challenges on the ground, the budget allocations for the department reflect a system struggling to keep up. Over the past few years, the state government has made efforts to modernise the police force, but these measures haven’t been sufficient to address the deep-rooted issues.
In the 2024-25 fiscal year, the Kerala government allocated Rs 3,207 crore for district forces, with a staggering 96% of that amount dedicated to salaries. Despite this, the police force remains severely understaffed and ill-equipped to handle the volume and complexity of modern policing.
Additionally, Rs 109 crore was allocated for modernization — a figure that includes investments in technology, training, and upgrading police equipment.
While there have been specific allocations for projects like the Student Police Cadet (Rs 15 crore) and the Janamaithri Community Policing Scheme (Rs 4.4 crore), these initiatives do little to alleviate the everyday burdens on officers. Cybersecurity, a growing area of concern given the rise in online crimes, has only received modest attention, with Rs 4 crore allocated in 2023-24.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.
Tamil Nadu
State health department's suicide helpline: 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)
Andhra Pradesh
Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930
Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584
Karnataka
Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222
Kerala
Maithri: 0484 2540530
Chaithram: 0484 2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Telangana
State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104
Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200
SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm
Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.
24x7 Helpline: 9820466726
Click here for working helplines across India.