In the Far West, 175 people committed suicide in 100 days of lockdown

Dhangadhi: 175 people have committed suicide in the Sudurpashchim Pradesh during the 100-day period of the government's lockdown to curb the risk of a corona outbreak. According to the State Police Office in Doti, 175 people have committed suicide in nine districts of the far-western region from March 26 to July 30.

The State Police Office reported that 93 men and 82 women have committed suicide in a period of 100 days.According to the police, those who have committed suicide include farmers, housewives from poor families, daily wage earners and the unemployed. The data on the suicide rate of the far western districts is considerably higher in more accessible districts than in remote districts.

The highest rates of suicide is in Kailali with 38 men and 58 women, followed by Kanchanpur with 41 men and 17 women and 41 people, Baitadi with 4 men and 12 women with 16 men, Doti with 6 men and 8 women with 14 men and Achham with 8 men. According to the State Police Office, 12 people including 4 women, 7 men and 12 women including 5 women of Dadeldhura have committed suicide.

Similarly, nine people including four men and five women from Darchula, seven women from Bajhang, two men and four women from Bajura have committed suicide. Acting Chief of Police for the Far West, Senior Superintendent of Police Mukesh Singh said that the suicide rate has increased after the lockdown.

Stating that the main reason for the suicides was a sudden outburst, he said, "Prolonged lockdown has disrupted people's lives when income is cut off and people have not been able to go where they want. The number of suicides has increased due to mental health problems in lockdown." In the past, the police, who used to close the file as suicide, have been investigating the suicide in detail.

Police have started prosecuting those who forced them to commit suicide. According to the new Criminal Code, discouragement cases have been filed against the accused for forcing them to commit suicide after the investigation revealed that they had committed suicide due to physical and mental torture.