India, Nov. 13 -- More than a sixth of suicides inIndia in 2016due to health reasons

More than a sixth of suicides in India were due to 'illness', according to data recently released by the National Crime Records Bureau. Mental health issues could have played a large role in this, the data indicated.

The need to prevent suicides has drawn little attention in the country tough they outstrip the combined toll of AIIDS and maternal death. Reducing the count by a third by 2030 is among the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goal.

In 2016, 'insanity' or mental illness, cancer, paralysis and sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS were among the major health issues that pushed people to take their lives. Alarmingly, 932 in th...