The Hindu : Suicide rate surpasses population growth rate

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 14, 2003

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Other States - West Bengal

Suicide rate surpasses population growth rate

KOLKATA JULY 13. The incidence of suicide rose at a compound growth rate of 4 per cent surpassing the compound population growth of 1.9 per cent during the last decade of the second millennium in India.

During the decade, 1990 to 2000, the population grew by 21 per cent, while the rate of suicide increased by 21.2 per cent, said the National Crime Records Bureau in its latest statistics.

The decadal incidence of suicide recorded an increase of 46.9 per cent from 73,911 suicides in 1990 to 108,593 suicides in 2000. In fact, the Bureau said, the increase in the number of suicide was reported each year during the decade except 1995, 1996 and 2000.

The Bureau said in its latest report that in 2000 Maharashtra reported the highest number of suicides (14,005) sharing 12.9 per cent, closely followed by West Bengal(13,849), sharing 12.8 per cent of the total suicides.

Among the other States, which reported higher number of suicides during the year, were Karnataka(12,375), Tamil Nadu(10,976) and Madhya Pradesh(10,872). Together with Maharashtra and West Bengal, the five states accounted for 57.2 per cent of the total suicides reported in the country.

The remaining 42.8 per cent suicides were reported from the remaining States and Union Territories. However, Uttar Pradesh, including Uttaranchal and Bihar, including Jharkhand which have higher population(17.1 per cent and 10 per cent) reported comparatively lower percentage of suicides with only 4.4 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively .The Bureau said in its report that family problems and illness were the major causes of suicide each sharing 21 per cent. Love affairs contributed for 2.9 per cent, while poverty and bankruptcy shared nearly 2.5 per cent each and unemployment 2.4 per cent. D & N Haveli(38.9 per cent), Andhra Pradesh(38.6 per cent), Pondicherry(35.2 per cent) and Punjab(32.7 per cent) reported at least one out of three suicides due to illness alone.

Half of suicides due to hero worshipping was reported from Tripura and an equal share(49.3 per cent) due to bankruptcy was reported from Kerala. Similarly, 56.4 per cent due to AIDS/STD and 23.3 per cent due to poverty were reported from Andhra Pradesh, while 36.3 per cent due to failure in examination and 30.7 per cent due to physical abuse were reported from Madhya Pradesh.

The Bureau said housewives accounted for 42.2 per cent of the total female victims and 20 per cent of the total victims committing suicide. Among the serving personnel, Government employees were merely 2 per cent of the total victims.

Private and public sector personnel constituted 7.8 per cent and 2.6 per cent respectively of the total suicide victims, whereas the students and unemployed victims contributed 4.9 per cent and 9 per cent respectively.

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