Pune: Fewer suicides during lockdown months than last year

PUNE: The 264 deaths by suicide recorded during the lockdown period from March 1 to July 31 showed a 13.44% decline compared to the 305 such cases during the corresponding period last year, a

study

commissioned by the city police and conducted by the SNDT Arts and Commerce College for Women revealed on Monday.

The study, however, concluded, “No associations of this decline can be established with age, gender, source of income and economic status of the victims...By logic of elimination, it can be inferred that the decline has direct association with the lockdown and

COVID

19 phenomenon.”

Deputy commissioner

of police (crime) Bachchan Singh said, “This year, 72% or 90 out of 125 suicides were in

nuclear families

. The main reason for fewer cases in joint families is support of the kin during the lockdown.”

He said, “The reasons for suicide vary from loneliness, depression, financial penury, loss of job and problem in relations. But there is no particular trend for suicides as it depends upon the temperament of a person.”

Singh said, “Prima facie, proximity to the family members gives people morale support and helps to fight suicidal tendencies. Similarly, the fear of Covid-19

pandemic

overtaking all other fears and worries, besides better social policing, is also a factor.”

Project coordinator and SNDT college vice principal Madhavi Kulkarni, head and associate professor of psychology Vasanti Joshi and associate professor Vasanti Joshi released the study report in the presence of Singh.


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