The Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India report is an annual report published by the National Crime Records Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. The report details unnatural deaths that occurred during the year due to accidents – road accidents, railway accidents, sudden deaths, poisoning among others – and suicides. The latest report for the year 2023 was made public in September 2025 and you can find it here.
The details of road accidents are also duplicated in the Road Accidents in India report from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and our analyses for the latest report from 2023 can be accessed here and here.
In this analysis we look at the data on suicides for India and its major cities. Along with number of suicides, the suicide rate which is calculated as the number of suicides per lakh population is equally, if not more, important. The main causes attributed for the suicides are also analysed for the major cities.
Increasing in India
India recorded 1,71,418 deaths by suicides in 2023. Worryingly, the number has only been growing year on year, increasing by more than 40% since 2017.
Family related stresses was among the leading reported circumstances for suicides in India, with over 50,000 instances, followed by illness related factors. Substance use, marital factors and other relationship issues were the other leading circumstances reported in suicide cases.
Main factors documented for suicides in India in 2023
Unfinalised marriage was the leading factor under marital distress followed by infidelity and dowry-related issues. Dowry related deaths are also reported to be misrepresented as accidental deaths, which suggests that they could be higher than unfinalised marriages.
Prolonged physical illnesses followed by mental health conditions were the most common circumstances reported for suicides under health related factors.
State-level trends
Among the states, Maharashtra recorded the highest number followed by Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.
While the total number can reflect the population size, the suicide rate, defined as deaths by suicides per lakh population paints a more accurate picture. Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Sikkim have rates higher than 40 per lakh population, several times the national average.
Among larger states, Kerala recorded the highest rate followed by Telangana, Chattisgarh and Tamil Nadu.
Among the cities, Kollam in Kerala recorded the highest rate of 48.6 followed by Vijayawada and Rajkot. Bhopal, Indore and Raipur were the other cities, which reflects the data on states which shows Kerala, Telangana and Chattisgarh as having high rates.
Trends in large cities
Similar to state-level trends, larger cities had the higher number of suicides owing to their higher populations. Among the cities with more than 1000 deaths by suicide, Delhi and Bengaluru reported the highest numbers followed by Chennai and Mumbai. Surat is the only other city with more than 1000 cases during the year.
The numbers in our large cities have worryingly been on an increasing trend. Looking at the top three cities, Delhi and Bengaluru have been registering a clear increasing trend, while Chennai’s numbers have dropped drastically after 2021.
The sudden decrease in Chennai after 2021 mirrors its road crashes data where the numbers were seen to have been distributed over its neighbouring districts of Thiruvallur and Chengalpattu. However, granular data from other districts is not available to draw such conclusions on suicides.
Contributing factors in cities
The main contributing factors reported in the three cities with most suicide cases – Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai – mirrored the national level data with some minor variations. Across the three cities family related issues, illnesses and relationship issues were the leading circumstances attributed to suicides.
In the case of Delhi, unemployment and marital distress were the other two leading factors documented in suicide cases.
Data for Delhi on marital distress shows that the leading factors were unfinalised marriages followed by dowry-related issues and marital infidelity.
In Bengaluru, financial stress and unemployment were among the most commonly reported circumstances in suicide cases which suggests that economic pressures might be a significant concern in the city.
Among health related factors, prolonged physical illnesses and mental health related issues were the most commonly reported circumstances in suicide cases in Bengaluru.
In Chennai, financial stress and substance abuse were commonly reported as the circumstances in suicide cases along with family stresses, illness and relationship issues.
Conclusions
The data for 2023 shows that the number of suicides in India has been increasing for a while now and represent a significant public health concern. Together, suicides and road crashes accounted for an estimated 3.4 lakh lives lost in 2023.
The most frequently reported circumstances for suicides were family stresses and illnesses. Prolonged physical illnesses and mental health issues were reported in more than 90% of the suicide cases classified under health-related factors.
While Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh reported the highest numbers of suicide deaths, the suicide rate per lakh was seen to be high in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sikkim, Kerala and Chattisgarh.
The city level data reflected the same, with high numbers of suicide deaths in the large cities of Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai, but high suicide rates in smaller cities like Kollam, Vijayawada, Rajkot and Raipur.
In large cities, while family stresses, illnesses and relationship issues were frequently documented, unemployment, financial stress, substance abuse and marital distress were also contributing factors.
Strengthening support systems and improving access to mental-health services are essential steps. Implementing WHO-recommended suicide-prevention measures at national, state and city levels can help reduce risk. India’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy (2022) provides a framework for coordinated action across sectors.