KHUJAND, November 9, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- A wave of suicides among teenagers does not abate in the northern Sughd province.

An official source at the Interior Ministry’s office in Sughd says 47cases of suicide among teenagers have been reported in the province over the first ten years, which is 19 cases more than in the same period last year.

In all, 240 cases of suicide, including 75 suicide attempts, have been reported in the province over the same ten-month period (in January-October last year, 203 suicides, including 57 suicide attempts, were reported in the area). 

Men, including sixteen minors, have reportedly committed suicide in 129 cases and women, including thirty-one minors, have committed suicide in 111 cases.

The listed causes of suicide were mental diseases (55), family problems (37), economic problems (6), and unspecified (74).

This year, criminal proceedings for driving to suicide have been instituted against eleven persons in the province, the source said.  Last year, criminal proceedings for driving to suicide were instituted against fifteen persons

It is to be noted that the authorities in northern Tajikistan set up a special group to try to stem an increase in the number of suicides in the area.