Delhi continues to record an alarming rise in suicides, with recent figures, recoveries and police reports indicating a troubling pattern across the Capital. Against this backdrop, the alleged suicide of an industrialist’s daughter-in-law in Vasant Vihar on November 30 has drawn intense scrutiny, prompting her family to demand a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry.
A death that has prompted serious questions
According to the FIR registered on November 30, the woman had been deliberately isolated from social events and subjected to prolonged mental and physical abuse over many years. Her mother has sought a CBI probe into the circumstances of her death.
The complaint states that the abuse began early in the marriage. In February or March 2011, while the woman was pregnant, her husband and mother-in-law allegedly dragged her from the first floor of the house and assaulted her. After she informed her parents, they travelled to Delhi, where the in-laws apologised and assured them that it would not happen again.
A month after the child was born, she reportedly discovered evidence of her husband’s extramarital affair. Her parents then brought her and the infant son back to their home in Howrah
A year later, the in-laws visited Howrah and urged the family not to speak of the matter in society, assuring them that the woman would be looked after properly. She returned to Delhi with a written undertaking from her husband stating that he would not resort to violence again. Nevertheless, the mother alleges that the mistreatment resumed after two or three years.
The complaint further states that the woman was defamed in social circles, excluded from family functions and frequently left alone at home. Her husband allegedly kept multiple locks on his phone to prevent her from using it.
In April 2024, while her husband was in Dubai, she gained access to his phone and discovered obscene material, which led to a confrontation. On the morning of November 25, she telephoned her mother at 7:30 am to say she had argued with her husband over their son’s mobile phone. Subsequent calls went unanswered. The mother-in-law claimed she was at the airport, while the husband said he was returning from the gym. Around noon, the family received news that the woman had been taken to hospital and had died.
Rising cases reported by Delhi Fire Services
While the Vasant Vihar case remains under investigation, it forms part of a wider pattern of suicides being reported across Delhi. According to data from the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), at least 100 suicides were recorded between October 1 and November 29. DFS personnel noted that in certain instances, bodies were found only after significant decomposition, indicating that some deaths had occurred earlier but were discovered much later.
Some of the highest numbers of suicides have been recorded under the jurisdiction of Rohini Sector 5 fire station. In Sultanpuri, DFS personnel recently recovered a man hanging from the ceiling. A similar incident unfolded in Begumpur, Rohini, on the same day, where officials recovered another man’s body after breaking open a door.
Officials say the projected rise in suicides in the Rohini region is a worrying trend.
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Death on the Metro tracks adds to the grim data
On November 24, a 37-year-old man identified as Hemant Neg died after reportedly jumping in front of a moving train at Rohini West Metro Station. He was a resident of Rohini Sector 2.
No suicide note was recovered.
Police received a PCR call at around 5:03 pm informing them that a passenger had jumped in front of a train near Gate No. 3 on the Red Line. Officers arrived to find that the injured man had already been taken to BSA Hospital by ambulance. At the hospital, doctors declared him dead in the casualty ward, and a medico-legal case report was prepared.
Initial enquiries indicate that Neg leapt in front of a train travelling from Rithala towards Kashmere Gate. He was employed by a private company in Ghaziabad, officials added. The case is being investigated as a suspected suicide.
NCRB data places Delhi at the top of the list
According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2023, Delhi recorded the highest number of suicides among 53 major Indian cities, at 3,131 cases. The figure represents 12% of the total suicides recorded across these cities.
Bengaluru followed with 2,370 suicides, while Mumbai reported 1,415. Of the 3,131 suicides recorded in Delhi, 2,295 victims were men and 836 were women.
Family problems accounted for 954 deaths. Illness contributed to 254 suicides, of which 69 were linked to mental health conditions, 31 to paralysis, 29 to cancer, six to AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases and 119 to various prolonged illnesses. Unemployment contributed to 241 deaths.
Marriage-related issues led to 195 suicides, with the majority (60) arising from the non-settlement of marriage.
The largest group among those who died by suicide were unemployed (765), followed by 488 self-employed individuals and 402 salaried professionals. A total of 1,590 victims earned less than Rs 1 lakh per year. Additionally, 388 students and 369 homemakers died by suicide during the year.
Low-income neighbourhoods see multiple suicides
The pattern observed by DFS is reflected in various neighbourhoods across Delhi. The Kanjhawala area witnessed three deaths by suicide in recent weeks, according to officials.
In another incident, a transgender person was found dead in Panchsheel Vihar near Malviya Nagar on October 12. Residents said there had been no movement from the deceased’s house for over a week before the recovery.
Attempted mass suicide in Madhya Pradesh
The trend is not limited to the national capital. In November, nearly 24 transgender individuals in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, reportedly attempted mass suicide by consuming phenyl at their residence in Nandlalpura. All were rushed to Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital and are now in stable condition.
This incident followed allegations that two men posing as journalists, Akshay Kumaon and Pankaj Jain, raped a member of the community three months ago, blackmailed the victim and extorted Rs 1.5 lakh.
A crisis extending beyond Delhi
Officials and mental health experts note that taken together, these cases indicate a deepening crisis that extends beyond Delhi’s boundaries. The Vasant Vihar case, coming amid a surge in suicides across the city and elsewhere, has renewed calls for better mental health support, stronger community monitoring and more accountability in cases involving domestic abuse.
