Peerzada Ummer
Srinagar, Oct 7: Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a worrying increase in suicides, recording a 13 per cent rise in one year, according to the latest report from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
The report reveals that 365 people ended their lives in 2023 compared to 323 in 2022. The data paints a grim picture of social and economic distress in the region, with unemployment emerging as the single biggest cause.
The NCRB report shows that 178 unemployed individuals took their own lives in 2023, which accounts for 48 per cent of all suicides reported that year. Of these, 114 were men and 73 were women. In 2022, the figure was 84, including 58 men and 26 women. This indicates that the number of unemployed people taking their lives has more than doubled within a year.
The data also shows that men are facing greater pressure from joblessness, resulting in a higher suicide rate among them.
Family problems were the second most common reason for suicide, causing 60 deaths in 2023. This includes 34 men and 26 women. Illness was another major factor, leading to 46 suicides, of which 29 were men. Mental health issues also saw a sharp increase, with 37 people taking their lives in 2023 compared to 19 in 2022. Of these, 26 were men.
The report also highlights a growing trend of suicides linked to love affairs. In 2023, 40 people, including 22 men and 18 women, died by suicide due to failed relationships or emotional distress. In 2022, only 15 such cases were recorded, including seven men and eight women. This represents a 166 per cent increase in one year.
Financial distress continues to be a major contributor. Among the victims, 241 people had annual incomes below one lakh rupees. This included 120 men and 121 women. Another 108 people with incomes between one lakh and five lakh rupees also died by suicide, including 78 men and 30 women. These figures indicate that financial hardship cuts across income levels and remains a major cause of despair.
The NCRB report further reveals that hanging remains the most common method of suicide, with 174 cases recorded in 2023. The second most frequent method was the consumption of poison, accounting for 120 deaths. The data also mentions the use of sleeping pills and other toxic substances in several cases.
According to experts, men tend to use more fatal methods when attempting suicide, which explains the higher rate of completed suicides among them. Women, on the other hand, attempt suicide more often but are less likely to succeed, they said.
Mental health professionals have called for an urgent need to strengthen counselling services, job opportunities, and awareness about mental well-being.
