Puducherry Topping in Country's Suicide Rate

Puducherry has the dubious distinction of topping the country in suicides. Its suicide rate is 50.2 persons per one lakh population, compared to 10.5 in Tamil Nadu, 11.2 in Andhra Pradesh, and 26.8 in Kerala among others, as revealed by the Crime Records Bureau(CRB), Puducherry. Among the 517 cases of suicides reported in the Union Territory in 2006, 378 deaths were in the 15-45 age group.

Another alarming scenario is that more married males committed suicide, and in the case of women, more unmarried took their lives.

The inability to cope with pressure in the job, studies, home, financial problems and conflict in relationships were among the causes cited. Hanging, poison and self-immolation were the widespread methods. As many as 4,367 people of several age groups had taken their lives due to various factors from 2000-07.

With September 10 being observed as World Suicide (Prevention) Day, efforts are on to size up the actual status of suicides. The Data from CRB,Puducherry further reveals that suicides among people from 15 to 30 years of age is highest, followed closely by people in 30 and 44 years.

While failure in love affairs, unemployment, terminal illness and failure in exams average between 30-50 cases in the past 7 years. The least number of deaths are due to impotency, terminal illness, illicit relation, career problems, AIDS/STD, drug abuse, poverty and property dispute.

K Kumar, Director, Maitreyi, a crisis intervention cell, supported by Whirlpool of India, functioning at Puducherry for the past 15 years, reiterates that death among college goers who are not able to cope up soon after the spoon-feeding in schools is 7 times more than the normal cases reported in the past four years.

The heartening news is that suicides among school students after announcement of results has dropped by 70% in the past three years. Kumar stresses that the disparity in salary among the IT professionals and other professionals a major reason. The helplessness developing due to highly competitive world is the reason for stress.