Kashmir fares better than Jammu in suicide cases

Srinagar, Sep 2 (UNI) As many as 610 cases of suicide or attempt to suicide were registered in Jammu and Kashmir during the past two years, officials said today.

They said 315 cases of suicide, attempt to suicide and abetment to suicide were registered in the state in 2005 as compared to 295 in 2006.

A total of 151 cases of suicide, attempt to suicide and abetment to suicide were registered in the Kashmir valley in 2005 as compared to 139 in 2006, the officials added.

Similarly, they said while 164 such cases were registered in the Jammu region in 2005, the figure stood at 156 in 2006.

In 2005, there were 54 cases of suicide in Kashmir and 82 in Jammu while the figure stood at 48 and 78 respectively in 2006.

There were 93 cases of attempt to suicide in the valley in 2005 as compared to 62 in Jammu. In 2006, there were 86 such cases in Kashmir and 60 in Jammu, the officials added.

Similarly, they said there were four cases of abetment to suicide in Kashmir in 2005 as compared to 20 in Jammu. In 2006, the figure stood at five and 18 respectively.

Despite spurt in such cases in the recent past, the officials asserted that the tendency of committing suicide was not on the rise in the troubled state.

Insecurity, unemployment, family discord, failed love affairs, failure in examinations and stress were some of the main causes of people taking the extreme step, they added.

Suicide is essentially a social problem and could be controlled when people would actively come forward in this regard and join hand with administrative and voluntary groups, the officials said.

"More responsibility lies with parents, teachers and guardians who influence the life of an individual much more than anybody else," they added.

UNI