Chandigarh, May 18 -- Of 96 suicides reported in the city in 2024, 64 were by men, suggesting men are twice as likely to commit suicide as women in Chandigarh, a report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report has stated. This comes even as the overall cases in 2024 marked a 36% reduction as compared to 2023 when 150 suicide cases were recorded. Percentage wise, this is the biggest drop among all union territories (UTs), according to the report titled Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2024. The rate is even higher nationally as three out of four suicide cases involve men, the report stated. Dr Adarsh Kohli, former professor of clinical psychology at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, said the issue ultimately boils down to factors like managing life stress through constructive coping mechanisms, handling emotions - especially impulsivity and frustration - adopting alternative perspectives, and seeking help for mental health issues. "Men are generally less likely to express emotions openly, and their brain chemistry differs from women's. They often do not seek help and struggle with workplace issues, financial stress and family problems, which can contribute to such incidents," he said. Dr Simmi Waraich, consultant psychiatrist, Fortis Hospital, Mohali, said the trend mirrors a global pattern, though the incidence of suicides among women in India remains higher than in many other countries. "While more women are diagnosed with depression, men are generally less likely to seek help. Access to more lethal means also makes men more vulnerable. Men may contemplate suicide less often, but they are more likely to act on such thoughts," she said. Profession-wise, salaried persons or professionals comprised 37.5% (36) of the suicide cases in the city. Of 32 women who ended their lives, 14 (44%) were housewives. Seventeen were students and female were twice as likely as male students to commit suicide. Ten of the victims were unemployed. The data suggests that married people are marginally more likely to commit suicide as 51 (53%) of the victims were married. Family-related issues emerged as the leading trigger, with 45 men and 21 women ending their lives over such problems, accounting for 69% of the suicides reported in the city. Four of the suicides were due to marriage-related issues. Those with low income are more likely to end life as 55 (57%) of the total victims were earning between Rs.1 lakh and Rs.5 lakh per annum. Thirty-five (37%) of them were earning less than Rs.1 lakh and these two income brackets account for 94% of the total suicide cases. Only 1 suicide case was reported for an individual in the city earning more than Rs.10 lakh per annum. Dr Waraich said that Dr BS Chavan, former director principal of Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, who passed away in 2020, had conducted a study showing that low-earning migrants were more likely to commit suicide in the city. Eighty-five (89%) of the victims died by hanging while six poisoned themselves and one died from a self-inflicted injury. Education levels appeared to have little bearing on the trend, with 68% of the victims having studied beyond Class 8. As per police data, in the past five years (till July 2025), 381 men committed suicide compared to 164 women. Depression and love affairs gone wrong accounted for 75% to 80% of these suicides, as per the police....