Kangra has highest suicide rate in state, says doc

Our Correspondent

Kangra, August 24

The district has the highest suicide rate in the state. There was a 35 per cent increase in the suicide rate last year.

Dr S Nikhil Gupta, District AIDS Programme Officer, said Kangra, Hamirpur, Baddi and Solan in the state were found more prone to suicide, leaving the authorities alarmed as more and more service-class people and housewives were committing suicides.

He said a recent study found that in most cases, victims were married and were in the age group of 15 to 44 years. In 2013, 20 suicides were reported in the district and in 2014, the number increased to 27.

He said 14 suicides were reported by the end of July this year. Suicides due to poison were reported where parents or relatives claimed that poison was consumed by mistake and these cases did not fall within the purview of suicide.

A study conducted by the state police showed that family problems, illness and unemployment were some of the main causes behind suicides.

Dr Gupta said a survey indicated that about 8 lakh people committed suicide worldwide every year. Of these, 1.35 lakh that is 17 per cent were Indians. Between 1987 and 2007, the suicide rate increased from 7.9 to 10.3 per lakh, he disclosed.

The male to female suicide ratio has been about 2:1. The 2010 Global Burden Disease Study shows that for all ages and both sexes, self harm is ranked ninth among causes of death. Among married women, the main cause of suicide is dowry.

In 2009, 33.6 per cent committed suicide by consuming poison, 31.5 per cent by hanging, 9.2 per cent by self-immolation and 6.1 per cent by drowning. The causes of suicides were reportedly family problems 23.7 per cent, illness 21 per cent, unemployment 1.9 per cent, love affairs 2.9 per cent, drug abuse/addiction 2.3 per cent, failure in examination 1.6 per cent, bankruptcy or sudden change in economic status 2.5 per cent, poverty 2.3 per cent, and dowry dispute 2.3 per cent.