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In 2022, India witnessed a 4.2% increase in suicides, totaling 1,70,924 cases. The suicide rate also rose by 3.3%, calculated per lakh of population.
Maharashtra reported the highest number of suicides (22,746), followed by Tamil Nadu (19,834). The main causes were family problems (31.7%) and illness (18.4%), with unemployment and professional issues contributing to 1.9% and 1.2% of cases, respectively.
Daily wage earners, particularly male, were the most affected group, with 44,713 cases (26.4%). This is an increase from 25.6% in 2021.
Professionals, including salaried and self-employed individuals, accounted for 9.2% of the total suicides.
Tamil Nadu had the highest state-wise suicide cases (7,876), followed by Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and other states.
Most victims had an annual income below Rs one lakh (64.3%), while 30.7% earned between Rs one lakh and Rs five lakh.
Bankruptcy and indebtedness saw an increase in suicide cases to 7,034 in 2022. Maharashtra led in this category, followed by Karnataka and other states.
Why suicide rise in India?
Suicides due to unemployment slightly decreased to 3,170 in 2022. Kerala reported the highest number of such cases.
Professional or career issues saw a decrease in suicides to 2,083, with Maharashtra recording the most cases.
Bengaluru, Delhi, and Ahmedabad were the cities with the highest suicide cases due to professional issues.
Here’s a summarized table of the key statistics:
| Category | Total Cases | Percentage | Notable States/Cities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Suicides | 1,70,924 | - | Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu |
| Family Problems | - | 31.7% | - |
| Illness | - | 18.4% | - |
| Daily Wage Earners | 44,713 | 26.4% | - |
| Professionals | - | 9.2% | - |
| Income < Rs 1 Lakh | - | 64.3% | - |
| Income Rs 1-5 Lakh | - | 30.7% | - |
| Bankruptcy/Indebtedness | 7,034 | - | Maharashtra, Karnataka |
| Unemployment | 3,170 | - | Kerala |
| Professional Issues | 2,083 | - | Maharashtra, Bengaluru |
The new report, released on the evening of Thursday, October 28, found that the daily number of students, workers, and unemployed people who committed suicide had risen sharply. It is also a reflection of how a global epidemic like Corona and the measures taken to prevent it has had a negative impact on Indian citizens.
According to the report, the number of deaths due to student suicides has increased by more than 21 percent last year, while the number of unemployed employees has increased by 16.5 percent and the number of workers has increased by more than 15 percent per day.
Farmers and agricultural workers also have a high suicide rate, with 10,677 people taking part in farming in 2020, up from 10,000 last year, according to the agency. It was 281.
Overall situation
In India, a total of 153,052 people committed suicide last year, according to official figures. That is, about four hundred people commit suicide every day. For the first time since 1967, there have been so many suicides in India in a single year.
However, this is the number that the police department has declared a suicide and then the government agencies also recognized and registered it, otherwise, a large number is left without a report.
Of the total number of male suicides last year, the highest number of deaths were among daily wage earners and 33,164 workers committed suicide. This is followed by 15,372 self-employed people. The third highest number is the suicides of unemployed people and 12,893 such people died due to suicide.
The highest number of 22,372 housewives were in the women's category. Since then, 5,559 female students have committed suicide, while 4,500 daily wage earners have also committed suicide. According to the report, farmers and agricultural laborers accounted for 7% of the total suicides. In 2020, 5,579 farmers and 5,098 agricultural laborers committed suicide across the country.
The capital, Delhi, tops the list of major Indian cities in terms of suicides, with 3,025 people committing suicide last year. Second is the southern city of Chennai, where about 2,500 people committed suicide. Bangalore ranks third with nearly 2,000 people committing suicide.
Mass or family suicides
Cases of suicide have also been seen more in the case of school students. School colleges were closed in India during the Corona epidemic. Schools had made arrangements for online education, but due to the lack of laptops, smartphones, and the internet, many students were forced to drop out of school.
The latest data on suicides shows that many students also took their own lives due to failure in the examination. In the case of suicide, there is also a clear difference in the behavior of girls and boys below 18 years of age. Girls lost more of their lives because of a love affair.
Various reasons for suicide have also been mentioned in the report. Which family discord is said to be the biggest reason. Mental illness, drugs, problems related to marriage have also been cited as responsible reasons for suicide.
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