Assam has registered the highest suicide cases (2370) in Northeast whereas Arunachal Pradesh recorded 15.2 per cent decrease in suicides in 2019 over 2018, revealed the latest statistic on suicide in India compiled by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
The NCRB statistics said that several other states and UTs have also reported a significant percentage increase in suicides in 2019 over 2018.
Bihar (44.7 per cent), Punjab (37.5 per cent), Daman & Diu (31.4 per cent), Jharkhand (25.0 per cent), Uttarakhand (22.6 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (21.5 per cent) while highest percentage decrease was reported in Lakshadweep (100 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (21.1 per cent), Chandigarh (18.1 per cent) and Jammu & Kashmir (13.9 per cent).
A total of 1,39,123 suicides were reported in the country during 2019 showing an increase of 3.4 per cent in comparison to 2018 and the rate of suicides has increased by 0.2 per cent during 2019 over 2018.
Majority of suicides were reported in Maharashtra (18,916) followed by 13,493 suicides in Tamil Nadu, 12,665 suicides in West Bengal, 12,457 suicides in Madhya Pradesh and 11,288 suicides in Karnataka accounting for 13.6 per cent, 9.7 per cent, 9.1 per cent, 9.0 per cent and 8.1 per cent of total suicides respectively.
These 5 States together accounted for 49.5 per cent of the total suicides reported in the country. The remaining 50.5 per cent suicides were reported in the remaining 24 States and 7 UTs.
Uttar Pradesh, the most populous State (16.9 per cent share of country population) has reported comparatively lower percentage share of suicidal deaths, accounting for only 3.9 per cent of the total suicides reported in the country.
Delhi, which is the most-populous UT, has reported the highest number of suicides (2,526) among UTs, followed by Puducherry (493). Remaining UTs together accounted for 2.2% of total suicides in the country. A total of 22,390 suicides were reported in the 53 megacities of the country during 2019.
The NCRB report said that ‘family problems’ and ‘illness’ were the major causes of suicides which accounted for 32.4 per cent and 17.1 per cent of total suicides respectively during 2019.
Drug abuse and addiction (5.6 per cent), marriage related issues’ (5.5 per cent), love affairs (4.5 per cent), bankruptcy or indebtedness (4.2 per cent), failure in examination and unemployment (2.0 per cent each), professional and career problem (1.2 per cent) and property dispute (1.1 per cent) were other causes of suicides.
Sikkim and Tripura with 100 and 153 suicide incidents are amongst 12 other states in the country where the illness was registered as a cause of suicide.
On the other hand, Tripura and Manipur are the two states with 403 and 23 suicide incidents are amongst 13 other states in the country where family problems were registered as the cause of suicide.