Sri Vijaya Puram, Jan. 19: Expressing grave concern over the rising number of suicide cases in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Mr. Angshuman Roy, State Youth President of Hindu Rashtra Shakti, has submitted a representation to the Lt. Governor of the Islands, the Chief Secretary of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration, and the Deputy Commissioner of South Andaman, seeking urgent intervention to address the issue.
In his representation, Mr. Roy highlighted that suicide rates in the Union Territory have shown a steady and alarming increase over the past four years. Citing data from the Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India reports published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), he pointed out that the suicide rate stood at 39.7 per one lakh population in 2021, which rose to 42.8 in 2022, placing the Islands among the highest in the country. The situation worsened further in 2023, with the rate climbing to 49.6 per one lakh population and an estimated 200 deaths reported during the year.
Mr. Roy stated that the rising trend reflects not only individual distress but also serious gaps in mental health support systems, employment opportunities, community engagement, and crisis intervention mechanisms across the Islands. He emphasized that youth are particularly vulnerable due to academic pressure, unemployment, social isolation, and limited access to professional psychological counselling.
Urging the Administration to take immediate and compassionate action, Mr. Roy called for strengthening mental health infrastructure, deploying trained counsellors across all islands, launching awareness programmes to reduce stigma around mental health, and collaborating with civil society organisations to build accessible support networks.
He expressed hope that the authorities would accord priority to the matter in the interest of safeguarding lives and ensuring the well-being of the Island community.
