VIZIANAGARAM: Financial hardship (distress) and health issues are the major reasons for the rising number of suicides and attempted suicides in Vizianagaram district.
Over 600 people died by suicide in various methods (hanging, consuming pesticides, jumping into water bodies and others) in the district in the past three years.
The number of suicides in Vizianagaram district, a small district in north coastal Andhra Pradesh, has been increasing due to various reasons. Interestingly, a majority of the victims were in the age group of 20-35 years.
Recently, a youngster - Chandu - committed suicide in Vizianagaram. He had lost livelihood due to Covid-19 and his father had died due to ill-health. He resorted to the extreme step after becoming unable to bear the financial distress. The incident shook his kin as he was the sole breadwinner of the family.
In another incident, a man who incurred losses in the trade and borrowed money to invest in business,ended life as he could not cope with the financial crisis.
Over 50 people died by suicide in Vizianagaram district due to financial woes and a majority of them were youngsters.
As many as 194 people ended lives in the past few years due to ill-health. Family disputes were reason for over 100 suicides. Other reasons were responsible for over 250 suicides. A senior police officer said a majority of suicide victims were men and most of them in the age group of 18-35 years.
Interestingly, psychiatrists are not surprised by the figures as they say suicides are the new killers among the youngsters in the modern world.
