The official World Suicide Prevention Day Facebook event page opens your eyes to a tragedy worse than death. On this page are daughters and sons, fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, locked in the cellar of sorrow, recalling how they lost their loved ones to suicide.
Millions across the globe will join them on Monday to light candles by their windows (at 8 p.m.) to emphasise that life is not meant to be thrown away and that suicide is preventable.
Maithri, a voluntary agency working to prevent suicides, will be instrumental in Kochi joining the worldwide commune of volunteers, health experts and others in renewing the city’s pledge to protect life.
Maithri, which operates a helpline (0484-2540530 and 8606222666) all days of the week between 10 a. m. and 7 p. m., is organising a day-long programme. A kite-flying session on Marine Drive at 5 p.m. will be the highlight of the day.
Renewing the pledge to protect life is the need of the hour for a State that has seen rising suicide numbers in 2011. The latest figures from the National Crime Records Bureau show that 8,431 people killed themselves during 2011, the State accounting for 6.2 per cent of the total number of suicides in the country.
Though Kerala’s percentage share has come down, there has been an increase in the rate of suicide from 24.6 per lakh population in 2010 to 25.3 per lakh population in 2011.
The NCRB data also showed that the national average suicide rate was 11.2 per lakh population during 2011, which was marginally lower than 11.4 per lakh population during 2010. However, Kerala struck a contrasting picture with an increase in the rate of suicide during last year.
Maithri says that around 100 people attempt suicide every day in Kerala, of whom 25 are successful. More men kill themselves than women, the ratio being 7:3 and 80 per cent of the suicides are by those in the 15 to 59 age group.
