New Delhi, March 14 - Two hundred and fifty-six Border Security Force (BSF) personnel committed suicide between 2004 and 2011 due to various reasons, including occupational stress, the Rajya Sabha was informed Wednesday.

Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh, in a written reply, cited data provided by the BSF and the Bureau of Police Research and Development and said that these suicides could not be attributed to occupational stress alone.

A number of suicides were due to personal or domestic reasons like marital discord, mental illness, depression and unsuccessful love affairs, he said.