Suicide deaths in India 2020: Which state in India reported highest suicidal deaths? [Stats]

New Delhi, Oct 30: In India, 418 people died by suicide on an average daily in 2020 and a total of 1,53,052 suicide cases were reported across the country, as per the latest Central government data.

In 2020, the suicide deaths were higher compared to 2019 where 139,123 suicides were recorded in the country, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which functions under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), stated.

Also, the suicide rate (per lakh population) increased to 11.3 from 10.4 in 2019, the NCRB stated in its annual report.

Out of 1,53,052 suicides in 2020, 10,677 persons involved in the farming sector (consisting of 5,579 farmers or cultivators and 5,098 agricultural labourers) took off their lives in the year, accounting for seven per cent of total suicide victims (1,53,052) in the country, the report showed.

Among 5,579 farmer or cultivator suicides, 5,335 were male and 244 were female, it claimed.

Out of 5,098 suicides committed by agricultural labourers during 2020, 4,621 were male and 477 were female, it added.

Maharashtra has reported the highest number of suicide cases (19,909 cases). Tamil Nadu comes second (16,883), while Madhya Pradesh (14,578) is at the third place in the list of highest suicide deaths among the Indian states in 2020.

It is followed by West Bengal (13,103), Karnataka (12,259), accounting for 13 per cent, 11 per cent, 9.5 per cent, 8.6 per cent and 8 per cent of the total cases, respectively, the data added.

These five states together accounted for 50.1% of the total suicides reported in the country, while the remainder 49.9% was reported from the remaining 23 states and eight Union territories (UTs), the NCRB stated.

Interestingly, Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state with 16.9% share of the country's population, reported a comparatively lower percentage share of suicidal deaths, accounting for only 3.1% of the total suicides, it added.

Delhi, which is the most populous UT, registered the highest number of suicides (3,142) among UTs, followed by Puducherry (408), the report showed.

A total of 23,855 suicides were reported in the 53 mega cities of the country in 2020, the report showed, observing that the suicide rate in cities (14.8) was higher as compared to all-India suicide rate (11.3).

'family problems' (33.6%), 'marriage-related problems' (5%) and 'illness' (18%) together accounted for 56.7% of total suicides in the country during 2020, the data showed.

The overall male to female ratio of suicide victims was 70.9 to 29.1, the report stated. PTI