Pune: The city is experiencing an increase in the number of deaths by suicide since 2023 based on Pune police data. There have been incidents among young professionals, students and even elderly people because of reasons varying from health issues, mental distress, financial problems and unemployment to family and relationship matters.Police data said 815 women and 2,611 men died by suicide in the city over the last three-and-half years due to family, financial and academic issues.In 2023, 209 women took their own lives. The number increased to 237 in 2024, 251 in 2025 and 118 in the first six months of 2026. Figures for men were significantly higher. In 2023, 740 men died by suicide, 691 in 2024, 757 in 2025 and 423 in the first six months of 2026.Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Gauhar Hasan said, “It is a matter of concern that the number of deaths by suicide is increasing in the city. Many men face financial and societal pressures and end their lives after failing to meet the expectations of others. Most women dying in such a manner are due to family-related issues.”Lawyer Supriya Kothari, who also works on suicide-related issues, told TOI: “Majority of the elderly people who end their lives either by hanging themselves or by consuming poison is because of medical or health issues.”She said, “However, the reasons for the high suicide rate among young men vary. Many die by suicide after losing their jobs, peer pressure arising from lifestyle and comparative income differences, workplace stress, increasing responsibilities, family issues, including extramarital affairs, and other factors. Students take the extreme step arising from academic stress or after being reprimanded by parents.”Social media also contributed to suicidal tendencies among students and young people. They wanted everything to be glamorous as shown in reels and expected instant success, said Kothari. “Reels often promote unrealistic lifestyles. Young people tend to get depressed when they fail to achieve these expectations and may die by suicide,” she added.“The high rate of suicide among women is mainly due to two reasons — family issues, such as differences with their husbands or in-laws, and financial stress arising from expectations related to the husband’s income and lifestyle,” she said.Director of Maanas Mitra counselling centre and psychologist Arati Pendse told TOI: “The rise in suicides reflects a complex interplay of psychological, social and cultural factors — rather than a single cause. Nowadays, people have lower tolerance for setbacks and their patience stands diminished. Meanwhile expectations from parents, society and themselves have increased significantly. Intense academic and professional competition, coupled with unrealistic standards portrayed on social media, has widened the gap between virtual success and real life, contributing to anxiety and depression.”She further said the culture of instant gratification had reduced people’s willingness to persevere through challenges. Many young people were either shielded from healthy competition or exposed only to extreme, cut-throat competition, leaving them ill-equipped to process failure and regulate emotions.“Equally concerning is the lack of open communication and emotional support, preventing individuals from expressing distress or seeking timely guidance. When the fear of failure becomes overwhelming and there is no trusted person to confide in, some individuals tragically resort to taking irreversible steps. Strengthening emotional resilience, encouraging open conversations and promoting timely mental health support are essential to prevent such tragedies,” Pendse added.Incidents in the recent pastJuly 20: A 30-year-old man allegedly died by suicide after jumping from the terrace of the 11th floor of a Kondhwa residential building. The Kondhwa police registered an accidental death report and said the man had lost his job.July 16: A 65-year-old building contractor was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his house in Gultekdi’s Market Yard area around 8am. He allegedly left two suicide notes naming five people, including a BJP worker and the wife of a former MLA, the Swargate police said.June 6: A 23-year-old first-year MBBS student of a city medical college was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her flat in Vishrantwadi around 6am. Police said she wanted to become an artist and was reportedly depressed because of the pressure of her medical studies.
