Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) indicate that on an average, 31 children died by suicide every day in India in 2020. Experts hold the COVID-19 pandemic accountable for increasing psychological stress in the children.

According to the NCRB data, around 11,396 children died by suicide in 2020. This represents an 18% increase from 9,613 deaths by suicide in 2019 and a 21% spike from 9,413 deaths in 2018, reported PTI. Family problems have been reported as one of the leading causes of these suicides, with 4,006 deaths attributed to it. This is followed by love affair (1,337) and illness (1,327). Other reasons for suicides in children included ideological reasons or hero-worshipping, unemployment, bankruptcy, impotency or infertility and drug abuse… (HT, November 1, 2021)