NCRB Data reports shocking result.

During this pathetic scenario of covid -19, India reported over 1.53 lakh suicides. This number is highest in last 10 years. The National Crime Record Bureau’s recent reports are showing shocking numbers of increasing suicide cases. While illness was the most attributed cause behind suicide, daily wage workers made up the largest share of total suicides, shows NCRB data. A total of 37,666 daily wage workers died by suicide in 2020 accounting for one-fourth of total suicides.

In terms of gender, more men killed themselves. Number of men committing accounts for nearly 71% of total suicides. While nearly 45,000 women died by suicide, more than one lakh men killed themselves. Out of the total number, 22 were transgenders. On the other hand, a total number of 11,396 children died by suicide in 2020, an 18 per cent rise from 9,613 such deaths in 2019 and 21 per cent rise from 9,413 in 2018.

The data mentions “family problems” as one of the main causes of these suicides attributing 4,006 deaths to it, followed by “love affair” (1,337) and illness (1,327). Other reasons behind suicide by children, as mentioned in the data, include ideological causes or hero-worshipping, unemployment, bankruptcy, impotency or infertility and drug abuse. According to NCRB records, among total women who died by suicide, 50 per cent (or 22,372) were homemakers. This number accounted for close to 15 percent of total suicides. At least 12,526 students died by suicide accounting for over 8 per cent of total deaths, and 10,677 people engaged in the farming sector also ended their own life, the NCRB data shows.

During the time of pandemic many of them have been through hostile environment at home, many others have seen demise of their loved ones and have faced the impact of fear of contagion and deepening financial crisis at the family level, — said Priti Mahara, Director, Policy Research and Advocacy at “CRY-Child Rights and You” .