College and school students have been advised to look for “clues” among people with a suicidal tendency in their circles and try to find solutions to their problems.
Addressing the students after an awareness rally on Prevention of Suicide here on Wednesday, Superintendent of Police V.Balakrishnan said 470 persons committed suicide in the Madurai Rural police district (excluding the city) in the first half of 2013. Among them, 303 were men and 176 women.
Many students had committed suicide either owing to failure in examinations or due to scoring of low marks. Love failure and family problems were the other common reasons for the people ending lives, he said.
He asked the students to develop a positive attitude towards life. Stating that every person, who planned to commit suicide, would reveal a symptom or clue of their intention, Mr.Balakrishnan said students should try to read those clues.
“Talk to them and try to find the reason for their intention. Suicides can be prevented if the aggrieved persons are counselled by experts,” he said.
Professor Janet Sankar of Madurai Institute of Social Sciences said a suicide prevention counselling centre was being run on the college premises on Alagarkoil Road.
People could seek assistance by calling the centre on 0452 2580840 or 2580840 between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The other numbers were 97897 19172, 93600 92292, 94869 19276 and 94860 19276, she added.
Students took out a rally from K.Pudur to the District Police Office carrying placards on prevention of suicide to mark the occasion.
