With five suicides reported in the last week and many more in recent months, Bengaluru appears to be doing its best to live up to its dubious reputation of beng the suicide capital of India. The spectrum of those taking their lives is wide and includes students, techies, self employed, housewives, the young and old.

Seventeen year old , Vishnu Sharan, a bright student by all accounts, committed suicide at a Metro Rail station in March. HAL director, Baldev Singh, took his life in Nandi Hills in October and former journalist and Infosys employee, Smitha Rao hanged herself in November. Scarily, these are only the reported cases, but there could be many more that are not, say the police.

The suicide rate in Bengaluru is increasing at an alarming rate, agrees additional commissioner of police (law and order), T. Suneel Kumar. “What is disturbing is that most cases over the years have involved educated people."

"People from the IT sector who are doing so well professionally find it so easy to take such an extreme decision. They are not able to deal with petty issues. Our newest cases are of schoolgoing kids and to add to the madness we have family suicides where parents kill themselves and their children. I don’t know what our city is coming to,” he adds.

Stress, failure drive people to the edge

Stress, failure to meet expectations and aspirations in an increasingly competitive environment could be driving many to suicide in the city, believe psychiatrists.

“With every day, people’s expectations are rising and in the process of trying to meet them and live up to what their families and relatives expect of them they get depressed and end up taking their lives. This generally happens among the adults,” says Dr Raghu, consultant psychiatrist, BGS Global Hospital. But suicides are on the rise among children too, especially after board examination results are announced.

“Children have a low level of tolerance and are very sensitive at this age. The expectations of parents are rising and when they are not able to meet them they often get frustrated and prefer to end it all. They don’t have to go too far for information on how to go about it as its readily available on the Internet,” he observes.

With both parents working today in most families, children often don’t have someone to share their frustrations with either, Dr Raghu points out. “Parents these days don’t have quality time to spend with their children and so emotional bonding and sharing takes a backseat, which otherwise could have solved their problems and stopped them from taking their lives,” he notes.

The fear of being labelled /stereotyped can also add to stress, believes Vinita Shah, counsellor and trainer, Parivarthan Counselling, Training and Research Centre which specialises in psychiatric counselling.

“When children are unable to meet their own expectations, and face parental and peer pressure to perform, anxiety about dealing with the situation can cloud their thinking, leaving them very distressed. They see no possible solution and may be overwhelmed by a feeling of helplessness and fear. At such times suicide is seen as the only option,” she believes.

“Every person should have a support system and when friends and family sense even a little trouble they should help these people out,” stresses additional commissioner of police (law and order), T. Suneel Kumar.

Suicide prone need a lot of support: Experts

Generally, people who attempted suicide are either impulsive or have planned it carefully, says Dr K. Raghu, consultant psychiatrist, BGS Global Hospital.

“Faced with disappointment and unable to think clearly, people can become impulsive and take the step within a fraction of a second. These cases are difficult to prevent. But there are people who plan their suicide over a period of time and they can be stopped from taking such a step if they have the right support system,” he believes.

The key is to accept people for what they are and not demand of them what they cannot deliver, says Dr B.N Gangadhar, professor of psychiatry, NIMHANS.

“Families, teachers and society in general should understand what people are capable of and accept them for what they are instead of looking down on them for not coming out with outstanding performances,” he advises.

Vinita Shah, counsellor and trainer, Parivarthan Counselling, Training and Research Centre, says it is imperative that students have someone they can trust and see as a support system to talk to in times of stress, as they can then receive proper guidance and the counselling they need.

Such help can prove crucial especially in face of acute disappointment, such as after exams when faced with poor results. This can go a long way in preventing teen suicides, agree experts.

May Mayhem
May 30
Nayana (18), a student of Mount Carmel College, committed suicide fearing not being able to get a BBM seat in the same college with the 70% she had scored in her II PUC exams.

The daughter of Krishna Murthy, managing director of Nippon Express Pvt India Limited, and Uma, a housewife, Nayana hanged herself from the ceiling fan at their residence on Sadashivanagar 15th Main, 7th Cross. Mr Murthy was in Japan for official work.

Their son, an engineering student, had gone to a friend’s house at that time. When Mrs Uma did not get any response at the door, she called her neighbours, who broke open the door to find Nayana hanging. Sadashivanagar police have registered a case.

May 29
A 25 year old student commits suicide in Yelahanka after failing his BSc exam.

May 28
A 23 year old girl Shwetha committed suicide in Bhuvaneshwarinagar.

May 26
V. Srinivas, 42, a land developer and co-producer of unreleased Kannada film, Veerappan Attahasa, shoots himself in Lakshmipura, Ramanagaram district.

May 26
Eleven -year -old Kavya hangs herself seeing her father harasss her mother.

May 23
A student of Surana College, Jayanagar, D Bharath, kills himself after failing his PU exam.

May 22
HP software developer, Sreerag Subramanyam, 24, kills himself over a failed 'love affair'.

May 12
Engineering student, V Alok Ranjan, jumps in front of a moving train at Attibele village near Devanahalli.

May 11
Naga Suneetha, 23, tries to commit suicide after killing her two children.

May 4
Jackio Heisnam, 23 , a Manipuri student, hangs himself from a fan.