Is Divorce Driving People to Commit Suicide?

The report also revealed that Mass/Family suicides consisted of 91 males, 106 females and 67 minors. It was noted that the highest number of cases were reported from Rajasthan (72) followed by Kerala (19), Andhra Pradesh (15) and Madhya Pradesh (14) out of 141 cases. Rajasthan reported highest number of such victims (100).

Underlying the economic angle to suicides, the report said 38 percent of victims were self-employed whereas the share of those with permanent jobs (government jobs) committing suicide was negligible at 1.2 percent.

Family Problems and illness were the major causes of suicides among the ‘specified causes’ accounting for 24.3 percent and 19.6 percent respectively. ‘Love Affairs’ (3.4 percent), ‘Drug Abuse/Addiction’ (2.7 percent), ‘Dowry Dispute’ (2.4 percent), ‘Bankruptcy’ (2.2 percent) and 'Poverty' (1.7 percent) were the other causes of suicides.

Suicides due to drug abuse/ addiction, love affairs, family problem, dowry dispute, suspected/illicit relation and cancellation/ non-settlement of marriage have shown an increasing trend during last 3 years. Suicides due to poverty, bankruptcy and physical abuse were noted to have shown a mixed trend during this period.

The report also revealed that Nagaland reported the highest increase of 175 percent in suicides in 2011 compared to the previous year while in Chandigarh, it increased by 47.9 percent.

Further, using poison and hanging were the two most common modes of committing suicide across the country.