Chandigarh, July 12 -- Depression and love affairs gone wrong accounted for 75% to 80% of all suicides in Chandigarh over the last five years, data from the police has revealed.

While there has been a decline in the number of suicide cases in Chandigarh since 2024 - the number was significantly high during Covid and post-Covid years - more men than women took the extreme step. As per the data a whopping 545 suicides have been reported since January 2021 till June 30 this year. Out of these, 150 suicides were reported in 2023 alone. In 2022, the number of suicides stood at 131 while in 2021, it was 120.

A total of 274 victims (50%) were in the 18 to 30 group (see box).

Every year, the number of suicides by men is double or sometimes eve...