NCRB report 2021: 88% suicide victims in Chandigarh were earning less than ₹5L per annum

In 2021, there was a slight dip in suicide cases (6.25%), with Chandigarh logging 120 deaths by suicide against 128 in 2020. While 84 victims were men, 36 were women. This is the fourth year in a row when the city has registered a dip in suicide cases

The increasing cost of living seems to be taking toll on low-income groups as 88.33% of those who died by suicide in the city in 2021 were earning less than five lakh per annum, data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has revealed.

Chandigarh was also among the 10 states and UTs where no farmers, or agricultural labourers had ended their lives. (HT File)

In 2021, there was a slight dip in suicide cases (6.25%), with Chandigarh logging 120 deaths by suicide against 128 in 2020. While 84 victims were men, 36 were women. This is the fourth year in a row when the city has registered a dip in suicide cases.

Sixty victims (41 men and 19 women) were earning between ₹1 lakh and ₹5 lakh, 46 (32 men and 14 women) were earning less than ₹1 lakh, while 12 (10 men and two women) were earning between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh, and only two (a man and a woman) were earning over ₹10 lakh.

The city was also among the 10 states and UTs where no farmers, or agricultural labourers had ended their lives.

As per the data, of the 120 persons who died by suicide, 36 (31 men and five women) were salaried employees (30%), eight ( seven men and a woman) were in government service, while 28 (24 men and four women) were from the private sector. As many as 20 victims were homemakers, 16 were daily wagers, 13 were students (six men and seven women), 11 (nine men and two women) were unemployed and three men were retired. Fifteen self-employed men also died by suicide, including 11 businessmen, and three vendors.

The educational qualifications of 29 victims (15 men and 14 women) is not known, while 29 (15 men and 14 women) had completed matriculation, 19 (13 men and six women) had studied till Class 12, while 19 victims (16 men and three women) had studied till Class 8, 13 victims (11 men and two women) were graduates, while 12 (eight men and four women) had studied up to Class 5.

67.5% victims were married

As many as 81 victims (67.5%) were married, including 56 men and 26 women, while 37 (27 men and 10 women) were unmarried, one woman was a widow and the marital status of one man is not known.

Family problems leading cause

As many as 46 suicide victims (23 men, 23 women) took the extreme step due to family issues, 18 (15 men, 3 women) because of poor health (physical or psychological), 14 (13 men, 1 woman) due to unemployment, eight (5 men, 3 women) due to failing an exam, and nine (seven men and two women) due to professional issues. In seven cases, the cause was not known, while five died due to drug abuse, four people (two men and women each) died by suicide over love affairs, and six ended their lives over other issues.