Number of deaths by suicide more among businessmen than farmers in 2020: Report

The number of deaths by suicide of businessmen last year was way more than farmer suicides, reports the Business Standard. At least 11,716 Indian businessmen died by suicide in 2020, while the number of farm suicides cases was 10,677, it said.

NCRB Data

Quoting the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, it said the newspaper reported that there were nearly 144 farmers who died by suicide for every 100 business persons who ended their lives in 2015. There are now 91 farmer suicides for every 100 business persons deaths in 2020, according to the report.

“More people would have died due to business issues,” the Business Standard quoted psychiatrist Harish Shetty as saying. Shetty further added that many deaths remained unreported as they are often brushed under the carpet.

Psychiatrist and author Anjali Chhabria said people are still shy about discussing issues.

There is a 29.4% rise in the number of businesspersons dying this way in 2020, the report said. The growth rate was 13.3% for 2019. Death by suicide rose 3.9% for farmers in 2020, reversing years of decline.