KHUJAND, October 15, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- 252 suicide cases, including 95 suicide attempts, have been registered in Sughd province over the first nine months of this year, which is 24.1 percent, or 51 cases, more than in the same period last year, the Sughd police directorate chief Sharif Nazarov told reporters in Khujand on October 15.

According to him, 136 men, including 21 minors, and 116 women, including 16 minors, have committed suicide in the province over the report period.

The main causes of suicide were psychological diseases, economic problems, family problems and so forth, Nazarov said.

Over the same nine-month period, fifteen criminal proceedings have been instituted in northern Tajikistan on the charges of driving to suicide.  All the cases have already moved to courts, the Sughd police chief noted.