Suicide: An Alarming Issue, That Needs Real Attention

Suicide: A Crime By Mind Against Body

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Suicide is a crime where culprit and victim both are the same person. It is a crime by our mind against our own body. We often hear about suicide cases in our society by young kids, and we generally associate their actions with a sense of immaturity to tackle problems or having a low level of tolerance. And when we hear about suicide by an aged person, then all the blame goes to his difficult life or problematic relationship.

 What is the real issue behind it? Is it an instant phenomenon that may surpass or take you to the end?

The recent Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide shook the whole nation. The whole media is busy in figuring out the possible reason behind this tragic death.

We all were stunned! This was totally unexpected. At the outset, Sushant Singh was living a life that almost every young boy dreams of. He was successful in his career, had money, fame, everything we can set a benchmark for a perfect life. But his suicide made everyone to introspect what are the real requirements for a perfect life? Definitely, it is not only money, fame, and allied things; something very important which we are neglecting in today’s life, is a true connection among family and friends. Although we meet many people daily, the real question is, out of those people, to how many are we really connected. We need a connecting relationship where we can truly be ourselves, no hidings, no show-off.

Our Changed Targets Have Started Targeting Us

 Often we start presuming that success is only related to our achievements in professional life. Our young generation is busy in making their paths to a perfect career, we are busy to provide them with all necessary means to achieve their goal. And that is how life is moving. Or we can say that life is running out of our hands.

In this Marathon of achievement and establishment, we actually have forgotten the basic idea of our life. We are not meant to live like this. Especially our Indian culture which is more of human-centric, has a totally opposite philosophy. We are meant to live a life where everyone related to us has its own share, everyone can connect to each other.

In the current scenario, we must understand & take care to see if our friends, family, kids are able to open up before us. we should take special care to see that we are not lacking in our true responsibilities. We have to develop a bonding, that becomes the strength of our dear ones during their difficult moments. We have to change our approach. In current circumstances, where the near future is looking difficult to handle, we all need each other’s true support. 

Suicide As A Crime: Legal Aspects

Suicides are always heartbreaking, depressing and shocking for the society. But you will be surprised to know that this traumatic hard decision of any person is a punishable crime in the eye of the law.

It is a strange system where if a person has failed in his attempt to commit suicide he can be punished. However, had he become successful in his attempt, he is beyond the scope of law enforcement.

Suicide is a direct encroachment to our right to life, provided by Article-21 of Indian constitution and Article-3 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In our law, we have two sections in IPC to deal with suicide cases-

1. Abetment of suicide-section-306 IPC

 If any person commits suicide, whoever

1. instigates any person to commit suicide or
2. intentionally aids in his commission of suicide, or
3. Engages in conspiracy with other persons for doing above mentioned acts.

• shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may be extended to ten years, 
• and shall also be liable to fine.

2. Attempt to commit suicide.- Section-309IPC

Whoever attempts to commit suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence, shall be punished with 

• simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, 
• or fine, 
• or with both.

Depression: A Major Cause To Be Blamed Is Beyond The Clutches Of Law

We saw provisions to handle a situation where someone conspired to make the other person kill himself/commit suicide. But what if his own mind is conspiring against him? In many cases of suicides, the real culprit is depression, and we have no law to punish or tackle this deadly accused. 

We can’t punish anyone for his depression. This tragic crime is happening across the world, taking the lives of many bright and talented individuals. Are we really helpless? Or can there be some provisions for this? We all know this is a heinous crime beyond the legal provisions. 

A Social Issue That needs Concrete Solution Rather Than short-span Reactions

It is more of a social than a legal problem. We need social provisions to hinder this step. We often react very aggressively when we come across any such news, but very soon we move forward very conveniently forgetting every such act. This short-span reacting approach is keeping this issue alive. 

After Sushant Singh’s suicide, many people are correlating suicide to the inside politics and lobbying culture of glamorous Bollywood industry.

However, accruing it to one particular industry cannot be the right approach. This phenomenon is becoming ever-increasing in recent years. Since many years we continuously saw suicide by teenagers during their exams and results. We have witnessed the suicide of cafe coffee day founder V.G. Siddhartha, a middle-age inspiring entrepreneur, who created a new era in his field. Apart from that we also saw many painful suicides by poor farmers facing drought.

The larger picture is touching almost all age groups in all sections of society from the poor to the rich, from young kids to aged persons.

We need to concentrate not only on the physical health of the nation but as well as it's mental health. We must have a system from the administrative level to the family level, where we can focus on our mental health.

 It is not only about discouraging people from committing suicide but there are certain related problems also. We recently heard about “boys locker room incident”, in this case, some school children were found allegedly involved in planning rape of their fellow classmates. This sick mentality is really horrifying and a result of ignoring the mental developments of the child through inculcating moral values.

An unstable mind can lead to many harms, to itself as well as society. It may lead to a person to either commit suicide or convert him in a hardcore criminal, committing ruthlessly heinous crimes.

A New Prospect To Solve The Conundrum Is The Need Of The Hour

We need some concrete solution, it may be in the form of some sort of legislative reforms to address the issue, a social habit of being concerned about mental health, or the introduction of some mandatory subjects on mental health in our education system. We must take the step to change this ever-increasing competitive world into a harmonious one, where everyone has his respectful place as per his capabilities. 

We just can’t let our talented, bright, loved ones to move toward the suicide-A permanent solution of temporary problems........

Suicide doesn't end the chances of life getting worse, it eliminates the possibility of it ever getting any better. ...