Telangana recorded 10,580 suicides in 2023, maintaining a significantly high rate compared to the national average, according to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on Tuesday.
The State accounted for 6.2% of the total suicides reported across the country. In 2022, Telangana had reported 9,980 deaths by suicide, or 5.8% of the national total. The NCRB, responsible for compiling and tabulating data from all States, released this year’s figures after a considerable delay.
In terms of absolute numbers, Telangana ranked sixth for the highest number of suicides, behind Maharashtra (22,687), Tamil Nadu (19,483), Madhya Pradesh (15,662), Karnataka (13,330) and Kerala (10,972). Nationally, 1,71,418 suicides were reported in 2023.
Telangana’s suicide rate stood at 27.7 per one lakh population in 2023, ranking fifth among the country’s larger States. This marks an increase from 26.3 in 2022 and remains well above the national average of 12.3 per lakh. Among larger States, only Kerala recorded a higher rate at 30.6. Over the past decade, the national suicide rate has risen from 11.1 in 2013 to 12.3 in 2023.
Family problems were cited as the predominant trigger for suicides in Telangana, claiming 4,680 lives, or 44.2% of the State’s total cases — a proportion higher than the national average of 31.9%.
Poison emerged as the most common method of suicide in Telangana, accounting for 5,192 deaths, followed by hanging, which claimed 3,931 lives. Incidentally, 39 people died due to accidental ingestion of poison.
By occupation, daily wage earners constituted the largest group with 4,835 cases (27.5%), followed by the self-employed with 1,705 cases. Agricultural labourers numbered 564, while 582 students died by suicide. The State also recorded four cases of mass or family suicides in 2023, involving a total of 11 individuals.
Published – October 01, 2025 12:36 am IST
