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Dimapur, Nov. 11 (EMN): According to the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on suicide in India, more than 1, 00,000 people commit suicide every year in the country. A total of 1, 31,008 suicides were reported in the country during 2016. It showed a decrease of 2.0% in comparison to the numbers from 2015. The rate of suicides has decreased by 0.3 during 2016 over 2015.
The NCRB collected data on suicide from police recorded cases. The rate of suicides has been calculated using mid-year projected population for the no-census years while for census year 2011, the population from Population Census 2011 was used.
The states and union territories (UT) which have reported significant percent increase in suicide in 2016 over 2015 were Nagaland (61.9%); Jharkhand (54.7%); Punjab (37.3%); Himachal Pradesh (18.2%) and Delhi UT (16.8%) while highest percentage decrease was reported in Uttarakhand (68.0%); ‘D & N Haveli’ (48.1%); Lakshadweep (40.0%); Puducherry (21.1%); and Bihar (20.3%).
Majority of suicides were reported in Maharashtra (17,195) and Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state (17.2% share of the country’s population) has reported comparatively lower percentage of suicidal deaths, accounting for only 2.7% of the total suicides reported in the country.
Cause of suicides
According to the NCRB’s report ‘family problems’ and ‘illness’ were the major causes of suicides which accounted for 29.2% and 17.1% of total suicides respectively during 2016. ‘Marriage related issues’ (5.3%); ‘drug abuse/addiction’ (4.0%); ‘love affairs’ (3.5%); ‘bankruptcy’ (2.8%); property disputes (2.0%); ‘failure in examination’ and ‘unemployment’ (1.8% each); professional/career problems (1.4%); and poverty (0.9%) were other causes of suicide.
Educational status of suicide victims
Maximum numbers of suicide victims (22.6%) or 29,582 out of 1, 31,008 victims, were educated up to matriculation/secondary level. Middle-level educated, primary educated and illiterate persons accounted for 20.1% or 26,288 out of 1, 31,008 victims, 18.3% or 24,010 out of 1, 31,008 victims, and 13.8% or 18,027 out of 1, 31,008 victims, in that order, were the total number of suicide victims during 2016. Only 3.1% or 4,027 out of 1, 31,008 victims, of the total number of victims were graduates and above, during 2016.
During the year 2016, the share of ‘drowning’ (from 5.4% in 2015 to 4.8% in 2016); ‘fire/self immolation (from 7.2% in 2015 to 7.0% in 2016); ‘by poison' (from 27.9% in 2015 to 26.6% in 2016); ‘by jumping’ (from 1.8% in 2015 to 1.7% in 2016); ‘by coming under running vehicle/train’ (from 2.5% in 2015 to 2.2% in 2016); and ‘by touching electric wire' (from 0.7% in 2015 to 0.5% in 2016) as the methods adopted by suicide victims have decreased. The percentage of ‘hanging’ (from 45.6% in 2015 to 46.2% in 2016) and ‘by self inflicting injury’ (from 0.4% in 2015 to 0.6% in 2016) have increased during 2016 over 2015.
The numbers of male victims were more than females in all means of suicide except those who committed suicides by ‘fire/self immolation’ where the share of female victims was more at 5,454 out of 9,208.
The overall male: female ratio of victims for the year 2016 was 67.9:32.1 showing a marginal increase in the number of females and marginal decrease in the number of males, compared to year 2015 (68.5:31.5). The proportion of female victims was more in ‘marriage related issues’ specifically in ‘dowry related issues.’
The age group 18 years and above, but below 30 years, and persons above 30 years but below 45 years of age were the most vulnerable groups resorting to suicides. These age groups accounted for 33.0% and 32.8% suicides respectively. 'Family problems' (2,006); ‘failure in examination’ (1,330); ‘love affairs’ (942); and ‘illness’ (932) were the main causes of suicides among children under 18 years of age.
Government servants accounted for 1.3% or 1,739 out of 1, 31,008, of the total number of suicide victims as compared to 5.2% or 6,761 out of 1, 31,008 of the total number victims from private sector enterprises.
A total of 11,379 persons involved in the farming sector consisting of 6,270 farmers/cultivators and 5,109 agricultural labourers have committed suicides during 2016, accounting for 8.7% of the total number of suicides victims (1, 31,008) in the country.
Certain states/UT namely West Bengal, Bihar, Nagaland, Chandigarh, D & N Haveli, Daman and Diu, Delhi UT and Lakshadweep reported zero suicides of farmers/cultivators as well as agricultural labourers.