Poverty biggest trigger for suicides, lack of edu a catalyst

There are wide regional variations when it comes to suicides. While Kerala tops the list at 30.6 per lakh population, Bihar has the lowest suicide rate in the country at 0.7.

But one factor stands out sharply: income. A vast majority of victims came from households earning less than Rs 1 lakh a year, showing how poverty and financial insecurity push people to the edge. The less educated are also more vulnerable. More than four in five victims had not studied beyond higher secondary school.


Men in their 30s and early 40s were the most affected, while among women the highest toll fell on those aged 18 to 30. Strikingly, among children under 18, more girls died by suicide than boys, as opposed to the trend visible in every other age group.