Our Correspondent
Kohima, Jan. 4 (EMN): Nagaland reported at least 191 suicide cases between 2017 and 2020, while 2020 recorded an all time high of 53 cases.
Out of 191 persons who died by suicide during the four years ending 2020, 152 were male and 39 female, as per Director General of Police Nagaland, the information of which was published in 'Gender Statistics Nagaland 2021' by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics.
The common causes of suicide deaths were in the category of 'unknown' or 'not known', followed by 'others' and 'illness' respectively. One each case of 'love affairs', 'poverty', and 'professional/career problem' had been recorded from 2017 to 2020.
According to the department's handbook of Economics, the total death by suicide was 48 in 2017, 42 in 2018, 48 in 2019 and 53 in 2020.
Out of 53 suicide deaths in 2020, 38 were male and 15 were female, out of which five cases were related to illness, one to love affair, 28 cases were unknown and 19 cases were ‘other causes’.
It was also observed that suicide cases among female increased from single digit to double digit in 2020.
It may be mentioned that Nagaland reported "lowest" and "second lowest" suicide deaths in 2018 and 2019 respectively according to the National Crime Records Bureau.
48 cases registered against women
According to the handbook, 48 cases of crimes were registered against women in Nagaland in 2020. Dimapur district had the highest numbers of crimes (11) registered against women, followed by Mon (10). Under crime head, murder and outraging of modesty recorded the maximum.
As per the report furnished by the DGP Nagaland, nine cases of crimes during 2019 and six cases of crimes in 2020 were cleared by the court.
44 women arrested in 2019-20
In 2019-20, a total of 44 women were arrested under Special and Local Laws, in which 15 cases were related to Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act), one case under Arms Act and 14 cases under other SLL crimes. Most of the arrested women were in the age group of 30-50, it informed.
11 rape cases registered
The handbook further informed that total of 11 cases of rape were registered during 2020. Most of the victims were in the age group of 10-14 years.
The report also informed that there were 1733 prisoners during 2019-20, out of which 73 prisoners were females. Most of the convicts were in the age group of 21 to 40.
During 2020, five cases of physical or sexual violence were committed by a current or former intimate partner and three cases of physical or sexual violence by persons other than an intimate partner. The highest incidents occurred in the district of Dimapur, it added.