THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Four suicides by tribal people in four days – two men and two women, all aged below 30!
The death of newly-wed Induja of Palode two weeks ago is a pertinent pointer to the alarming increase in suicides among tribal people in Thiruvananthapuram. As per available data, 23 tribal residents — five of them young women — ended their lives in the district this year alone.
Induja, 25, a Kani tribe member who chose to marry outside the community, took the extreme step on December 6, after allegedly being caught in a vicious cycle of domestic abuse and harassment.
Three more suicides followed in the next three days: 20-year-old Ajith of Idinjar on December 7; Namitha, 19, of Elavattom on December 8, and Vishnu, 30, of Alummoodu on December 9. This is not the first time suicides by tribal people in the state capital have set alarm bells ringing. As per rough estimates, around 138 such suicides were reported in the district between 2011 and 2022, mostly in Peringammala panchayat.
Now, after a relative calm, the string of suicides has returned to haunt tribal settlements on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram.
A majority of those who ended their life belonged to the 20-30 age group. According to their families and tribal activists, tremendous stress due to extreme social scenarios coupled with pressure and harassment due to marriages and relationships outside the community, along with burgeoning liquor rackets, contribute to the deaths.
“They (Induja and her husband Abhijith) studied together. After marriage, she was under immense pressure. His family wouldn’t let us tribal people enter their house. They were even reluctant to register the marriage,” said Sasidharan Kani, Induja’s father.
“My daughter was murdered. No other family should have to endure this pain,” he said. Adivasi Mahasabha president Mohanan Triveni said lack of follow-up measures to tackle criminal acts too contribute to the increasing deaths by suicide.
‘Tribal people face stress due to cultural confusions’
He said more than five tribal people died by suicide in these settlements in 2023. However the data is not final.
“The number of deaths show an increasing influence of liquor and sex rackets operating within the tribal sector. Our children go outside, mingle with others, fall in love with those from other communities and end up facing harassment. There should be strict legal action to stop such unfortunate deaths,” he said.
While the state government promotes mixed marriages (from other communities), tribal activists feel it hasn’t quite helped in preventing suicides by tribal people. “Our girls are being wooed by youngsters from outside in the name of love. My daughter was just 18; a Plus-Two student. A boy from another community lured her in the name of love and...we lost our kid,” said Adivasi Congress mandalam president Abhimanyu, who lost his daughter, Anamika, in September.
“Tribals, especially youngsters, face stress due to cultural confusions,” said Rajendraprasad of Thamp, an NGO working for tribal welfare. “There is confusion among the younger generation of tribals, as they don’t grow up in their natural ecosystem that exists among the elders. They go to hostels and learn from the outside world. This creates confusion and causes existential dilemma,” he said.
“The ‘Ooru’ culture and related systems are no longer in practice. This too affects their day-to-day lives. That’s why there is a steady rise in dropouts among tribal students opting for higher studies. They are unable to cope with mainstream society. Issues like liquor addiction too contribute,” Rajendraprasad pointed out.
Suicides in T’Puram panchayats in 2024
Vithura: 8
Peringammala: 7
Tholikkode: 4
Nandiyode: 2
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)