KHUJAND, July 25, 2009, Asia-Plus -- Three suicides and one suicide attempt were registered in northern Tajikistan last Thursday alone, according to the Sughd police directorate press service.

On July 23, the 17-year-old resident of the village of Rugund in Sughd’s Istaravshan district, Muhammadali Nabiyev killed himself by self-hanging.  “According to the preliminary investigation, Muhammadali was motivated by the fact that his mother committed suicide three days before that,” the source said.  The Istaravshan prosecutor’s office is investigating the case.

Two residents of the Isfara district committed suicide the same day.

Thursday morning, the 25-year-old woman from the Surkh jamoat in the Isfara district, Madina Karimova, drowned herself.  According to the source, she committed suicide following economic problems.

Thursday evening, the body of the 32-year-old resident of the Vorukh jamoat in the Isfara district, Mansouriddin Qayumov without signs of violent death was found on the bank of the Isfara River.

The same day, the 31-year-old woman from the Ghonchi district, Y. Jourayeva, attempted to commit suicide by self-immolation.  “Her husband managed to rescue her; the woman with burns covering some 90 percent of the body was taken to the central district hospital,” the source said.    

Suicide cases are increasing in northern Tajikistan and local authorities have set up a special group to try to stem an increase in the number of suicides in the area.

Local experts say that most of those committed suicide were motivated by family and economic problems