Meghalaya records 166 suicides last year

From A Correspondent

Shillong, Sept 10: Meghalaya recorded a total of 166 cases of suicide deaths in 2016 and there were around 25 unsuccessful suicide attempts, authorities on Saturday said.

“There are also many unreported cases of people committing suicides in the State. This only gives an indication that the society at large needs to give due attention to this problem. We must understand that all suicide is preventable,” Sanker Centre Director Dr Sandi Syiem said.

September 10 is celebrated as the “World Suicide Prevention Day” across the world.

It may be mentioned that every year more than eight lakh people die by committing suicides around the world and up to 25 times that number make suicide attempts worldwide.

Keeping in mind the theme of the 2017 World Suicide Prevention Day “Take a minute, change a life”, Sanker Charitable Trust on Saturday organised a bicycle rally and a workshop to call upon the people on the need to look upon “suicide attempt” as a cry for help and not look at it as a crimil act.

Stating that the World Association for Suicide Prevention organised bicycle rallies across the globe to celebrate the day, the Sanker Centre Director said that they have organised this bicycle rally to send a message to those people who are suffering and who want to end their sufferings by suicide that “we are together with them”.

Pointing out that Mental Healthcare Act of 2017 has de-crimilised suicide, Syiem said that the attempt to commit suicide is no longer a crimil offence.

“According to the new Act, any person who attempts to commit suicide is being looked as a person who is in need of psychological help,” the Sanker Centre director said.

According to Syiem, the World Suicide Prevention Day aims to open the conversation and help those in darkness.

The Sanker Centre Director further stated that, as members of the community, it is the responsibility of everyone in the society to look out for those who may be struggling, check with them and encourage them to tell a story in their own way and in their own space.

“We also want to spread the message on the need to recognise early signs of persons who wanted to die by suicide. It is important to change people’s attitude to look upon suicide attempt as a cry for help and to look it as a crimil act,” Syiem told newsmen on Saturday.

A total number of 82 people participated in the bicycle rally, which was flagged off by East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Peter S Dkhar from Khyndailad, Police Bazaar. The bicycle rally culmited at Sanker Centre in Mawlai Mawroh.

As part of the celebration, the Sanker Charitable Trust later in the day also organised a workshop at the Police Training School, Mawlai Mawroh that was attended by the representatives of the church, women leaders from various localities and police personnel.