NEW DELHI – Hanging still remains the most preferred method of suicide, but jumping off high-rises is increasing in the metros. Bangalore tops the chart with 428 cases among cities in India when it comes to suicide by jumping off a building, as per the National Crime Records Bureau. It is a shocking rise of 580 percent from 25 in 2006 to 170 in 2011. Mumbai is second on the list with 227 cases recorded between 2006 and 2011. Delhi is third with 132 cases, followed by Ahmedabad (102), Chennai (100) and Hyderabad (95), reported V Narayan for Times of India.
Figures from the last six years indicate that only one metro, Kolkata is missing from the list of cities with the maximum highrise suicides. The trend could also be an adverse imitation of the West, where it records for a significant number of suicides, simply because of easy access to tall buildings.
Y P Singh, a former IPS officer who’s turned lawyer said “Other modes of suicide require preparation… jumping from highrises requires no preparation. Further, while death may not be certain in other modes, jumping from a tall building is almost certain to cause instant death, something which an emotional suicide-seeker would want,” reported TOI.
Among states, West Bengal witnessed 556 cases, while Tamil Nadu witnessed 527, Andhra Pradesh (493) and Maharashtra (453).
Dr Shubhangi Parkar, head of psychiatry at KEM Hospital, Mumbai, said it is a very violent method and an indicator that the person must have been severely depressed. She said “Access to tall buildings seems to impact the decision of a person who is planning to kill oneself. It is more of a metro phenomenon…,” as reported by TOI.
Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty said such deaths revealed a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. He further added that “This method also has a sense of punishment. Here, the person feels like punishing the world or near ones for not helping him or her out. The sense of helplessness is a powerful motivation.” He said that people committing suicide at home or at their institutions is normally a reflection that no one reached out to help them.
