SRINAGAR: A video of a woman committing suicide by jumping into the Jhelum River has gone viral on social media. Many similar videos of people ending their lives by jumping into water bodies have recently emerged on these platforms.
Last month, the Kashmir recorded 43 drowning cases, with over a dozen being suicide attempts, according to an official from the State Disaster Response Force.
“This year so far, there has been a significant number of drowning cases. As per the data available with us, 40 such incidents occurred last month, and out of them, more than a dozen were suicide cases,” the official said.
The National Crime Record Bureau also highlights the spike in suicide cases in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) report, Jammu and Kashmir accounted for about 30 percent of all suicides in India in 2022.
Suicide: An Underlying Mental Health Issue
Dr Yasir Ahmad Rather, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, IMHANS, GMC Srinagar, said that 90 percent of suicide cases have underlying mental health issues. He said if these issues are addressed, individuals can be prevented from taking such drastic steps.
“Suicide has symptoms, and such persons mostly suffer from severe depression due to various reasons including financial issues, domestic violence, relationship failure, or academic pressure. Because of mental illness, the person is not able to cope with the stress and takes a life-ending step,” he said.
Dr Yasir claimed the increasing suicide rate depicted prevailing mental issues within society. He noted that suicide cases show multiple warning signs before taking the life-ending step. “The person prefers to spend time in isolation, disconnected from society. Their social media handles too show signs of their mental health,” he said.
Dr Yasir said one of the strong reasons for the recent spikes in suicides can be explained by the copycat phenomenon. “When someone who died by suicide is all over the news, their circumstances are discussed, which can trigger imitative behaviour in a person who shares a similar situation. Those struggling with mental health issues may start having stronger suicidal ideations after listening to or seeing reports of suicide,” he said.
He said society, particularly parents and religious scholars, can play an important role in combating increasing suicides. “Religious scholars and leaders have a significant influence on people. They can raise awareness and discuss such topics within the backdrop of religion. Similarly, parents and teachers too can counsel children,” he said.
Parenting and Mass Awareness: The Need of the Hour
Kashmir’s Grand Mufti, Nasir-ul-Islam, said that effective parenting and raising mass awareness can prove beneficial in curbing such evils. “Parenting is the most important aspect here. A parent has to check whether their son or daughter is going through any mental issues. They can sit together and resolve it. Parents have to develop a close connection with their child,” he said.
Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said mass awareness can also help restrict suicide cases in Kashmir. “Awareness regarding the consequences of suicide needs to be spread within society. Such topics should be discussed so that every person gets educated and refrains from taking such a step even if their life is disturbed,” he said—(KNO)
