As suicides spike after lockdown in Noida, police propose a helpline

NOIDA: The number of suicides committed in Noida since the lockdown was enforced has prompted police to propose a helpline for residents in distress. Data sourced from the cops show a 16% rise in the number of calls received about suicides or attempts to commit suicides after March 23. A majority of these calls were about women and children.

Between January and March 23 this year, as many as 137 calls about suicides or its attempts were received by police. The number of such calls rose to 160 between March 24 and June 30. The number of suicides, too, saw a sudden rise. Before the lockdown was announced, 32 people had committed suicide in Noida this year. Between March 24 and June 30, 40 people had killed themselves. Of these 40, 15 suicides were by women and four by children aged between 11 and 15 years.
The reasons for taking the extreme step varied from marital discord to dowry among women. For children, the issues were trivial. For instance, a 15-year-old boy hanged himself in his Dadri home apparently after being scolded by his mother for playing with friends on June 29. Similarly, a 13-year-old boy committed suicide after being denied money to buy snacks.
Among men, the issues ranged from financial losses during the shutdown to insecurity over jobs and prolonged illness.
Psychologist Dr Prerna Kohli referred to a study by the Psychiatric Society of India and said that one out of five persons surveyed in the country was suffering from stress in the times of Covid-19.
“There has been a 60% rise in my counselling sessions since lockdown began. The problem is at three levels. The first is uncertainty surrounding the global pandemic. Then, there is the financial impact and third is the change is lifestyle. Women have been suffering the most as they also have to bear the anxiety of their husbands and children. The reasons for suicide among children are usually abuse, neglect and poverty,” she added.
Dr Neharshi Srivastava, a psychologist attached with the Rehabilitation Council of India, said she had been getting 11-12 calls daily related to stress from financial and domestic issues.
The police are planning to start the helpline as a pilot project for the next two weeks. “The feedback we have received from experts is that most suicides can be prevented if the person gets to talk to someone at that moment. Some of our staff will be trained to attend to calls on the helpline. Depending on the response, we can launch a full-fledged helpline later,” said Vrinda Shukla, DCP (women’s safety).
Data has also revealed that cases of domestic violence against women have seen a rise in Noida. But the UP government’s helpline for women in distress — 181 — has remained shut since June 6. The private company operating the helpline and managing the “sugamkartas”, who respond to calls from the Lucknow head office and visit households of women who have lodged complaints, stopped the service since its workers did not get salary for the past one year.