A study by the Center for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy states that four out of five people who die by suicide SC/ST, Other backward classes or minority community.
This research was done by DC Nanjunda of the Study Center and Lancy D’Souza of the Department of Psychology, Maharaja College. Their analysis was based on data collected from 23 police stations in the district. Of the 923 recorded suicide cases, 57% were from urban clusters and the rest from rural areas. Mental illness, debt and health issues were listed as leading causes of suicide.
About 33% of the deaths by suicide were in the age group of 21-30. According to the study, socioeconomic factors such as low schooling (24% of cases), unskilled jobs (43%) and poor income (74%) are significantly associated with higher suicide rates. Nanjunda told TOI: “For the first time, it has been observed that most of the suicides were seen in the ‘excluded categories’. Our research showed that mental illness and poverty are two major causes. There is an urgent need to address these dual issues.”
He said that analysis of the data available with the departments of Karnataka government can help in finding permanent solutions to many socio-economic problems. However, Dr Ravish BN, professor and head of the department of psychiatry, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, said the data studied by the researchers does not provide a complete picture.
“We must take this data with a pinch of salt as many cases of suicide are never reported. Many people in distress commit suicide by jumping into a river or by engineering road accidents, which are not classified as suicides in the data compiled by National Crime Records Bureau. We should start a special suicide registry in hospitals. This will help us to take preventive measures scientifically,” he explained.
The professor said that road accidents and suicide account for a major part of the deaths every year in the country and this rate can be reduced by effective measures.
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