Odisha records higher suicide rate than national average, suggests report

Odisha (India), September 5 : The suicide cases in Odisha has marked an increase of 20.20% over the last five years. The current suicide rate in Odisha is 12.5 per cent against the national average of 12 per cent.
Amid the rising incidence of suicides in Odisha, Bhubaneswar Commissionerate Police organized a one-day workshop on Suicide and Law enforcement for its officers and Special Police Officers (SPO ) to investigate such cases thoroughly, and with empathy.
Director of Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy Director, Dr. Soumitra Pathare, joined as the Chief Speaker.
About 100 officers participated from Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Jajpur, and Cuttack marking World Suicide Prevention Day to raise awareness, reduce stigma and encourage well-informed action.
"Suicide has been a measure concern for police today, if you look at a number of suicides case happening in twin city Bhubaneswar-Cuttack there is a significant rise. In particular, if you look at post covid period and the media continuously focuses on suicide cases. Investigating agencies are under pressure on how to investigate the cases which is why as a part of our lecture series on commission rate policy, we invite the biggest expert in the field of suicide and mental health Dr. Soumitra Pathare. This workshop focus on the knowledge roll and response of law enforcement agencies and allied agency as regard suicide is a concern. It also indicates how the media should report suicide cases. We will try to work on what we learn", said Soumendra Priyadarshi Commissioner of Police twin city.
Global suicide statistics, according to the World Health Organization every year there are approximately 7,00,000 suicides.
India accounts for 33% of all suicides worldwide as per the National suicide statistics.
Suicide is the leading cause of death amongst young women aged 18-39 and the second leading cause of death among young men aged 18-39 after road accidents.
Suicide fatalities outnumber AIDS-related and maternity deaths combined in the number of deaths each year.
As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report 2021, a total of 1,64,033 suicides were reported in the country
In 2021 compared to 2020, there has been an increase of 7.2%, while the suicide rate has risen by 6.2%.
The rate of suicides (number of suicide per 100,000) has varied over the last 10 years, reaching an all-time high in 2021.
The decade has witnessed an increase of 7.14% in suicide rates.
Tamil Nadu and Kerala are 25- 26 % more than the national average of 12% almost double, and Odisha is high than the national average of 12.5%. Odisha is 2nd in the Student suicide rate. 450 suicide all over India in a day. About 1.65 Lakh people commit suicide every year said Dr. Pathare.
Dr. Pathare guided the officers on how to investigate suicide cases. Officers were trained in examining witnesses related to suicides and dealing with the victim/deceased's family members.
The police officers were also briefed about coping with the stress that they may undergo during the investigation.
The Director General Police (DCP) Odisha Sunil Kumar Bansal was thankful to the Commissionarate police for organising the workshop for police personnel, media as well as public/students.
I would say this is a unique kind of thing that the Commissionarate is organising the seminars and tried to invite us to bring the best talent possible available in the country even outside the country so that we can not only remain a simple police officer but a thinking police officer. A police officer who can actually apply himself and be as much as possible to society. That the data indicates in India the suicide rate has gone up in the last 5-6 years, I feel people are becoming more and more unitary they are taking cut off from their family members, and they are more to their phones. They have fewer physical friends but have more social friends possibly one of the reasons, I don't say any statement to this", said DCP Odisha Sunil Kumar Bansal.