Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 16 October 2025
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have recorded the highest suicide rate in India, according to the “Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2023” report published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), raising alarm over the mental health situation in the Union Territory. In 2023, the islands reported 49.6 suicides per one lakh population, a significant rise from 42.8 in 2022 and 39.7 in 2021. The islands reported a total of 200 suicide deaths in 2023, a notable figure given the region’s small population.
Illness is the leading cause of suicide in the islands, accounting for 38% of deaths, highlighting the urgent need for health and mental health support services.
Nationally, the NCRB report shows that illness accounts for 19% of suicides, family problems 31.9%, drug or alcohol addiction 7%, marriage-related issues 5.3%, love affairs 4.7%, bankruptcy or indebtedness 3.8%, unemployment 1.8%, failure in examinations 1.4%, and death of a dear person 1.3%. These figures provide context for the national suicide landscape but do not directly reflect the situation in the islands.
Hanging remains the most common method of suicide nationally, accounting for 60.9% of deaths, followed by consuming poison (25%), drowning (4.1%), and accidents involving vehicles or trains (2.8%). National data also indicate that most victims have low income, with 66.2% earning less than one lakh INR annually, and are primarily educated up to secondary or higher secondary levels.
The islands’ rising suicide rate is particularly concerning because it contrasts with a slight decrease in the national suicide rate, from 12.4 in 2022 to 12.3 in 2023.
The NCRB report, which compiles data from police records across India, provides the most comprehensive insights into regional suicide trends, vulnerable demographics, and causative factors. For the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the report underscores the need for immediate, evidence-based intervention strategies to prevent further loss of life.
With suicide rates climbing steadily in the islands over the last three years for which data is available in the public domain, authorities, healthcare providers, and community organizations need to address this silent crisis through targeted mental health programs, accessible healthcare, and support networks for vulnerable groups.
[Data source: NCRB, “Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2023”]
