Suicide is a crime in the existing law of the country and is not permissible in any religion or philosophy. Generally, like many other crimes, people commit suicide due to circumstances around them. That’s why it sometimes becomes debatable as to whether suicide can be considered as a ‘crime’.
Younger people, especially teenagers, usually lack enough mental strength to bear stress. If parents, guardians and teachers don’t stand behind their sides in times of mental stress; many teenagers consider death as their only way out.
If they end up taking their own life out of intense anger, the established practice of branding that death as suicide absolves the parents of all responsibility.
Statistics on suicide published by non-government organisation Aanchal Foundation in a report on 9 September are scary, to say the least. According to the report, published on the eve of international suicide prevention day on 10 September, a total of 364 students committed suicide from January to August this year. 194 of them are school students.
Over 45 students committed suicide every month during this period. 79 per cent of the students who committed suicide are 13 to 20 years old. Suicide of a total of 151 students was reported from June 2020 to July 2021. This number is more than double in the first eight months of this year.
The report said failing to pass examinations, study pressure, session jams, relationship issues, and failing to get something from the family as per demand are some of the reasons behind suicide.
These reasons also existed in the previous year. So it can be inferred that something happened this year which can’t be perceived but definitely contribute to the increase in the number of suicide.
There must be some changes either in the psychology of the teenagers or in the environment around them which led to such a big number of suicides. No specific reasons were identified but it is assumed that Covid fallout is to be blamed for the increase in suicide.
It is beyond the assumption of some guardians how social media has transformed the psyche of children. There should be awareness campaigns on what should be the conduct of the guardians with their children.
Educational institutions should arrange counselling facilities and infrastructure for mental health. Detailed research should be carried out to find out the reasons for the increase in the number and steps that need to be taken to curb suicide.