The number of suicides among Sri Lankans has increased in 2021 compared to previous years.
According to the latest figures from the Police Headquarters, there were 2632 males and 647 females in the 3279 suicides happened in 2021.
The number of suicides in 2020 was 3074. In 2019, that number was 3135 and in 2018, it was 3281.
According to the Police Headquarters, the total number of suicides in the country in 2017 was 3263. In 2016, that number was 3025. In 2015, only 3,054 people had committed suicide. In 2014, that number was 3144.
According to the latest statistics from the Police Headquarters, out of 3279 suicides in 2021, 2290 were committed by hanging themselves. Also, 600 people lost their lives from consuming pesticides or herbicides.
Most of these suicides are due to family disputes. In 2021, 614 people had committed suicide due to family disputes and 430 suicides have reported from killing themselves for having a chronic disease.
People commit suicide due to economic problems and in 2021, 172 people had commited suicide as 154 men and 18 women.
The vast majority of suicides are committed by married people, and in 2021, 2,391 couples had committed suicide.
Buddhists make up the majority of suicides in the country each year, followed by Hindus.
2250 Buddhists had commited suicide in 2021 while that number is only 894 for Hindus. Also, when comparing nationalities Sinhalese have committed the highest number of suicides and it is 2334. The second highest number of suicides was among Sri Lankan Tamils. That number is 822.
Most of those who commit suicide in 2021 are unemployed. That number is 1136. After that, the highest number of suicides are in the field of agriculture and in manufacturing processes.
According to statistics, 472 people employed in the agricultural sector and 205 people engaged in the manufacturing processes had committed suicide in 2021.
