Close X
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
ADVT 
India

Suicides in India up 400 percent in 50 years: Study

Darpan News Desk IANS, 10 Sep, 2014 08:44 AM
  • Suicides in India up 400 percent in 50 years: Study
The number of suicides in India in a year has risen 400 percent in 50 years and the suicide rate per 100,000 population exceeds 11 percent, a study said Wednesday.
 
"The number of suicides has increased from 33,625 in 1964 to 134,799 in 2013, which is a 400 percent increase in 50 years," Mumbai-based NGO Vaastav Foundation said in a statement.
 
Sep 10 is observed as World Suicide Prevention Day every year to highlight the alarming increase in suicides.
 
Its paper "Explorative study showing Indian suicide rates reported over 50 years" said the rate of suicide per 100,000 population has increased from 7.1 percent to 11 percent during this period and the highest of 11.4 percent was in 2010.
 
Quoting the National Crime Record Bureau reports, the NGO said suicide in India is treated as a crime rather than as a mental illness, which creates hurdles in getting emergency relief for victims.
 
It said the total number of suicides has decreased overall from 135,585 in 2011 to 134,799 in 2013 but at the same time, there has been an increase of suicides by males from 87,839 to 90,543 during this period.
 
The total number of women committing suicides was 47,746 in 2011 and 44,256 in 2013 with a significant 9.5 percent decrease in the married women category from 32,582 to 29,491.
 
The gender ratio within the married category points that more than twice the number of married men (64,098 in 2013) committed suicide against women (29,491 in 2013), the study said.
 
It attributed family problems and illness as the main reasons for committing suicides, with the two accounting for 25 percent and 20 percent of total suicides.
 
"India should have a national strategy for suicide prevention in line with 28 other countries that have successfully implemented it," Vaastav Foundation president Amit Deshpande said.
 
Bangalore-based Child Rights Initiative for Shared Parenting (CRISP) president Kumar V. Jahgirdar told IANS: "It's a shame that maximum suicides of the world occur in India. It's also more unfortunate that married men are committing suicides due to domestic violence. It's mainly due to gender-biased family laws."
 
He said the government should take immediate steps to prevent suicides by setting up a national commission for men on the lines of the National Commission of Women to look into the problems faced by married men. 

MORE India ARTICLES

After Amarinder Congress fields Sunil Jakhar in Punjab

After Amarinder Congress fields Sunil Jakhar in Punjab
Continuing its move to field party bigwigs in in Punjab, the Congress Monday announced that it was fielding Sunil Kumar Jakhar, the leader of opposition in state assembly, as its candidate from the state's Ferozepur seat for the Lok Sabha elections.

After Amarinder Congress fields Sunil Jakhar in Punjab

RSS trying to break AAP from within: Yogendra Yadav

RSS trying to break AAP from within: Yogendra Yadav
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is using dirty tricks to infiltrate the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), senior party leader Yogendra Yadav said Monday.

RSS trying to break AAP from within: Yogendra Yadav

Defiant Jaswant takes on NaMo, dares BJP to sack him

Defiant Jaswant takes on NaMo, dares BJP to sack him
Rebel BJP leader Jaswant Singh Monday publicly took on its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi after entering the Lok Sabha polls as an independent, saying his conduct betrays arrogance.

Defiant Jaswant takes on NaMo, dares BJP to sack him

Jaitley, Amarinder in war of words over Sonia

Jaitley, Amarinder in war of words over Sonia
What started as trading barbs over who is an "outsider" in the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency Sunday escalated into a full war of words between rival candidates - BJP's Arun Jaitley and Congress' Amarinder Singh - after the name of Congress president Sonia Gandhi was dragged in.

Jaitley, Amarinder in war of words over Sonia

Should the military have a say in governance?

Should the military have a say in governance?
In 1992, the Indian Army chief, General Sunith Francis Rodrigues, had to apologise to parliament for suggesting that the armed forces had a stake in India's governance.

Should the military have a say in governance?

Election Special: When WhatsApp, BBM foxed poll officials

Election Special: When WhatsApp, BBM foxed poll officials
How does one prevent hate speeches and inflammatory videos from being shared through applications like WhatsApp and on BlackBerry Messenger (BBM)? Well, that's what has stumped poll officials.

Election Special: When WhatsApp, BBM foxed poll officials