Odisha sees sharp rise in suicide cases, 15 lives lost every day

More than 5,000 people died by suicide in Odisha in 2021. The data furnished by the National Crime Records Bureau suggests that 5,651 persons ended their lives last year.

As per the report by the (NCRB), 15 persons on average are committing suicide every day in the State.

While family issue has forced several people to take the extreme step, many students have committed suicide over failed love affairs and marriage issues. The suicide numbers last year suggest a substantial rise.

Meanwhile, the report also suggests a rise in violence against women in Odisha. The rise in molestation and rape cases is a major concern for the State. As many as 14,853 rape and molestation cases were registered during the period which happens to be the most number of cases in the country.

Moreover, 565 cyber crime cases related to women violence were filed at various police stations in Odisha. Increasing kidnapping cases of babies across the State are also a matter of concern.

The National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) statistics has suggested that 4,582 cases of suicide were reported in the State during 2019 which rose to 5,569 the next year. The year 2020 alone recorded a 21 per cent rise in suicides in the State over the previous year.

Mental health turned into a huge challenge post-pandemic period. Experts suggest that mental health needs to get more attention in the days to come.