25% jump in India's suicide rate since 2001

More than 1.35 lakh people committed suicide in the country in 2011 of which the highest number were reported in West Bengal followed by Tamil Nadu.

More than 1.35 lakh people committed suicide in the country in 2011 of which the highest number were reported in West Bengal followed by Tamil Nadu.

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Family Problems and illness, accounting for 24.3% and 19.6% respectively, were the major causes of suicides while poverty was to be blamed in 1.7% of the cases, according to government data.

Love affairs (3.4%), drug abuse/addiction (2.7%), dowry dispute (2.4%) and bankruptcy (2.2%) were among the other causes.

Delhi has reported the highest number of suicides (1,716) among UTs, followed by Puducherry (557). Seven UTs together accounted for 1.9% of total suicides in the country.

The number of suicides in the country over the decade (2001–2011) has recorded an increase of 25% -- from 1,08,506 in 2001 to 1,35,585 in 2011.

West Bengal reported the highest number of suicides (16,492) accounting for 12.2% of the total suicides last year followed by Tamil Nadu (15,963), Maharashtra (15,947), Andhra Pradesh (15,077) and Karnataka (12,622).

They accounted for 11.8%, 11.8%, 11.1% and 9.3% respectively of the total suicides in the country.

These five states together accounted for 56.2% of the total suicides reported in India, the NCRB said.

The remaining 43.8% suicides were reported in the rest of 23 states and seven Union Territories, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Uttar Pradesh, country's most populous state (16.5% share of the population) has reported comparatively lower percentage of suicidal deaths, accounting for only 3.6% of such deaths.

Fifty-three mega cities accounted for 13.5% of the total suicides in the country.