New Delhi: India reported 1,71,418 suicides in 2023, marking a slight increase of 0.3 per cent compared to 2022, with family problems and illness identified as the leading causes, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

State-wise distribution

Maharashtra reported the highest number of suicides at 22,687, followed by Tamil Nadu (19,483), Madhya Pradesh (15,662), Karnataka (13,330) and West Bengal (12,819), accounting for 13.2 per cent, 11.4 per cent, 9.1 per cent, 7.8 per cent and 7.5 per cent of total cases, respectively. These five states together contributed 49 per cent of the nation’s total suicides.

The remaining 51 per cent were reported across the other 23 states and eight Union territories. Uttar Pradesh, despite having 17 per cent of India’s population, accounted for only 5.3 per cent of the total suicides.

Major causes of suicide

Family problems (31.9 per cent) and illness (19 per cent) were the primary reasons for suicides. Other contributing factors included drug abuse/alcoholic addiction (7 per cent), marriage-related issues (5.3 per cent), love affairs (4.7 per cent), bankruptcy or indebtedness (3.8 per cent), unemployment (1.8 per cent), failure in examinations (1.4 per cent), death of a ‘dear person’ (1.3 per cent), professional/career problems (1.1 per cent) and property disputes (1 per cent).

Demographic trends

Housewives represented 51.6 per cent of female victims (24,048 out of 46,648) and nearly 14 per cent of all suicides. Government servants accounted for 1.1 per cent (1,915), private sector employees 7.2 per cent (12,275), and public sector undertaking employees 1.4 per cent (2,327). Female victims were more prevalent in marriage-related issues, particularly dowry disputes, and infertility/impotency cases.

Age groups most affected

Individuals aged 18–30 and 30–45 were the most vulnerable, responsible for 32.8 per cent and 32.5 per cent of suicides, respectively. Among children below 18 years, main causes included family problems (2,568), love affairs (1,724) and examination failure (1,303). Students and unemployed victims accounted for 8.1 per cent (13,892) of the total.

Union territory and urban figures

Delhi reported the highest suicides among Union territories with 3,131 cases, followed by Puducherry (465). A total of 26,095 suicides were recorded in 53 mega cities across India.

Percentage changes and suicide rates

States and Union territories with the highest percentage increase in suicides in 2023 over 2022 included Lakshadweep (50 per cent), Ladakh (46.2 per cent), Bihar (31.9 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (27 per cent), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (17 per cent), Uttarakhand (15.5 per cent), Chandigarh (14.5 per cent), Jammu and Kashmir (13 per cent) and Uttar Pradesh (12 per cent). The largest declines were seen in Mizoram (35.9 per cent), Nagaland (26.5 per cent) and Arunachal Pradesh (14.1 per cent).

The all-India suicide rate, measured per one lakh population, was 12.3. Andaman and Nicobar Islands recorded the highest rate at 49.6, followed by Sikkim (40.2), Kerala (30.6), Puducherry (28.0) and Telangana (27.7).