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Suicide
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otherwise, they might fall a prey to unusual thoughts of suicide. They deserve pity rather than condemnation."
For a normal person, suicide is dreadful and repugnant to all ethics. In our country suicides are more common in towns than in villages because of the complexity of life. The females are more prone to commit suicides than males. Ill treatment of daughters-in-law in a joint family, disappointment in love affairs, failures in examinations when severely chastised by the elders in the family, starvation, pregnancy due to ille. gitimate contacts are some of the causes. "Among the States, the maximum suicide rates are in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tami! Nādu and the Saurāshtra part of Gujarāt. It is said that every eight hours, one woman in Gujarāt commits suicide.” (Dr. Shah)
From what has been said above, it is sufficient for our purpose to conclude that the main psychological and physical features of such suicides are : (1) The victim is under an emotional stress; (2) He or she is overpowered with a feeling of disgrace, fear, disgust or hatred at the time when suicide is resorted to; (3) The main intention of committing suicide is to escape from the consequences of certain acts or events; disgrace, agony, punishment, social stigma or tyranny of treatment etc. (4) The mind is far away from religious or spiritual considerations. (5) The means employed to bring about the death are weapons of offence or death; (6) The death is sudden in most cases unless the victim is rescued earlier. (7) The act is committed in secrecy. (8) It causes misery or bereavement to the kith and kin.
7. Dr. Shah Vinubhai D., Suicide : The Reason Why, Illustrated Weekly of India', 18th Nov., 1973, pp. 33-35.
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