This and other startling figures are part of a government report 'Accidental Deaths and Sucides in India 2011' released here recently.
According to the report, the number of suicides have increased in 2011 by 0.7 per cent to touch 1,35,585 compared to 1,34,599 in the previous year.
West Bengal has reported the highest number of suicides (16,492) accounting for 12.2 per cent followed by Tamil Nadu (15,963), Maharashtra (15,947), Andhra Pradesh (15,077) and Karnataka (12,622).
These 5 States together accounted for 56.2 per cent of the total suicides reported in the country.
"West Bengal has reported the highest number of suicide victims in 2009, second highest in 2010 and highest in 2011.
Southern States Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu including Maharashtra have together accounted for 50.2 per cent of total suicides reported in the country," the report said.
Bengaluru (1,717), Chennai (2,438), Delhi (1,385) and Mumbai (1,162) together have reported almost 36.7% of the total suicides reported from 53 mega cities.
"It is observed that social and economic causes have led most of the males to commit suicides whereas emotional and personal causes have mainly driven females to end their lives," the report said.
The male:female ratio of suicide victims was 65:35, however, the proportion of boys:girls suicide victims (upto 14 years of age) was 52:48. Nearly 71.1 per cent of the suicide victims were married males while 68.2 per cent were married females.
"One suicide for every five suicides was committed by a housewife. 38. 3 per cent of suicide victims were self-employed while only 7.7 per cent were un-employed.
Government servants were merely constituted 1. 2 per cent of the total suicide victims," the report said. More
