10.7% increase in suicides linked to prolonged illnesses, shows NCRB data

A concerning uptick in suicides attributed to illnesses, coupled with increases in sudden deaths from heart attacks and fatalities tied to abortions, has been highlighted in the latest ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2023’ report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

According to the report, total suicides in India rose marginally, but those caused by illnesses saw a 3.2 per cent increase, from 31,484 in 2022 to 32,503 in 2023, accounting for 19 per cent of all suicides. Within this category, suicides due to “other prolonged illnesses” surged by 10.7 per cent, climbing from 14,431 to 15,970 cases.

Mental health issues, labelled as “insanity/mental illness,” remained a significant driver, contributing 13,978 suicides (8.2 per cent of total), though down 4.3 per cent from the previous year.

Other sub-causes like cancer (1,425 cases) and paralysis (999 cases) showed slight declines.

In the realm of accidental deaths, sudden fatalities jumped 12.7 per cent, from 56,450 to 63,643. Heart attacks specifically increased by 10 per cent, from 32,457 to 35,715 deaths, representing 8.1 per cent of all accidental deaths under “other causes.”

Abortion-linked fatalities also escalated sharply. Deaths of women during pregnancy totalled 1,131 in 2023, up 5.4 per cent from 1,073. Notably, abortion-specific cases soared 58.8 per cent, from 80 to 127.

NCRB Director Alok Ranjan, in the foreword, stressed the need for early interventions, including psychological assessments and stricter safety regulations. “Premature deaths from accidents or suicides devastate families emotionally and financially,” he noted, urging policymakers, NGOs and law-enforcement agencies to use the data for targeted preventive measures.

Overall accidental deaths reached 4,44,104, a 2.1 per cent increase, with traffic accidents dominating at 44.6 per cent. Suicides totalled around 1.71 lakh, maintaining a national rate of 12.3 per lakh population. States like Maharashtra (22.5 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (19.2 per cent) reported higher suicide rates, while Union Territories like Puducherry topped at 31.8.