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Website on suicide prevention launched

PUDUCHERRY: The majority of women who committed suicide in the Union Territory were in the 15-29 age group, according to the statistics available with a non-governmental organisation working for suicide prevention here.

As many as 103 women in this age group committed suicide during 2006. The number was more or less the same in the suicide cases reported in 2005, according to K. Kumar, Director of ‘Maitreyi,’ the NGO. The data was collected from police records, he said.

The main reason cited by him for the women belonging to the age group taking the extreme step was depression owing to love failure and family problems. It was at this stage when women started settling down, he said.

In the case of men, majority of the suicide cases were reported in the 30-44 age group and as many as 137 men committed suicide last year. Financial problems and issues arising out of family disputes were the two main reasons for men taking the extreme step. Statistics available with the organisation revealed that out of the 526 cases reported in 2006, 349 suicide cases were involving men. Likewise in 2005, out of the 538 cases reported, 340 of them were men.

The NGO received about 4,420 distress calls through its helpline number (2339999) during 2006 against 1,500 calls received during 2005, Mr. Kumar said.

To create more awareness of suicide prevention, the organisation had conducted a series of programmes.

The NGO also launched its website ( www.maitreyi.org.in) on Sunday. The website provided all information, including facts and myths, about suicide, he added.

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