New Delhi: India reported an average 381 deaths by suicide daily in 2019. The total number of deaths by suicide in India was 1,39,123. This information is available as per the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data.
A 3.4 per cent increase was observed in suicides during 2019 (1,39,123 suicides) as compared to 2018 (1,34,516). In 2017 a total of 1,29,887 persons died by suicide the data showed. The rate of suicide (incidents per one lakh population) rose by 0.2 per cent in 2019 over 2018, as per the data.
The NCRB functions under the Union Home Ministry. Its data said the suicide rate in cities (13.9 per cent) was higher as compared to all-India suicide rate (10.4 per cent) in 2019.
Suicide by ‘hanging’ (53.6 per cent), ‘consuming poison’ (25.8%), ‘drowning’ (5.2%) and ‘self-immolation’ (3.8%) were the prominent methods.
Family problems (other than marriage-related issues) were behind 32.4 per cent of suicides. The figure for marriage-related problems was 5.5 per cent and illness 17.1%. The three together accounted for 55 per cent of the total suicides in the country during 2019, it stated.
For every 100 suicide deaths, 70.2 were male and 29.8 females, the NCRB, which collects data from police recorded cases, stated. Nearly 68.4 per cent of the male victims were married, whereas the ratio was 62.5 per cent for female victims, the data showed.
Majority of suicides were reported in Maharashtra (18,916). The state was by Tamil Nadu (13,493), West Bengal (12,665). In fourth place was Madhya Pradesh (12,457) followed by Karnataka (11,288). These five states together accounted for 49.5 per cent of the total suicides in India. The rest 50.5 per cent suicides were reported in the remaining 24 states and 7 UTs, the data showed.
Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state, reported comparatively lower percentage share of suicidal deaths. The state accounted for only 3.9 per cent of the total suicides in India, the data said.
Maximum cases of mass/family suicide were reported from Tamil Nadu (16). It was followed by Andhra Pradesh (14), Kerala (11), Punjab (nine) and Rajasthan (seven), the NCRB data showed.
In terms of education, 12.6 per cent victims of suicide were illiterate, 16.3 per cent up to primary level, 19.6 per cent up to middle level and 23.3 per cent up to matric level. Only 3.7 per cent of total suicide victims were graduates and above, the data said.
