Men’s Deaths By Suicide Due To Marriage-Related Issues Double Since 2015: NCRB Data | Numberspeak
Men’s Deaths By Suicide Due To Marriage-Related Issues Double Since 2015: NCRB Data | Numberspeak Reported By, Last Updated: June 13, 2026, 07:00 IST In
Men’s Deaths By Suicide Due To Marriage-Related Issues Double Since 2015: NCRB Data | Numberspeak Reported By, Last Updated: June 13, 2026, 07:00 IST In 2024, nearly two-thirds (67.6%) of women who died by suicide due to marriage-related issues were below 30 years of age, according to NCRB data Rapid Read NCRB From 2,497 cases of marriage-related deaths by suicides among men in 2015, the number rose to 4,536 in 2024, an increase of nearly 82% over the decade. In contrast, the number of women who died by suicide due to marriage-related issues remained virtually unchanged, hovering around 3,900 during the same period, according to official data analysed by News18. Women historically accounted for the majority of marriage-related suicides in India. The trend reversed in 2022. Since then, men have consistently outnumbered women, accounting for more than half of all marriage-related suicides for the third consecutive year in 2024, according to the data from the Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Out of the 8,524 marriage-related suicides reported in India in 2024, 4,536 (53%) were men, 3,986 (46%) were women and two were transgender persons. In other words, men accounted for 53 out of every 100 suicides linked to marriage-related issues, compared to 47 women. This marks a significant shift from 2015, when women accounted for 61% of such suicides and men 39%. Compared to 2023, both the overall number of marriage-related suicides and the gender-wise figures declined in 2024. YOUNG WOMEN, OLDER MEN: INDIA’S MARRIAGE-RELATED SUICIDE DIVIDE The gender divide in marriage-related suicides is starkly age-linked.
In 2024, nearly two-thirds (67.6%) of women who died by suicide due to marriage-related issues were below 30 years of age. Among men, a majority (53%) were above 30, with the 30-45 age group alone accounting for over 40% of such deaths. The analysis also shows that while men outnumbered women overall in marriage-related suicides, women continued to outnumber men in the under-18 and 18-30 years age groups in 2024, accounting for 2,695 deaths compared to 2,137 among men. Men (2,399), however, outnumbered women (1,291) across every age group above 30 years. In 2024, marriage-related issues were linked to about 23 suicides every day on average, including around 12 men and 11 women. Among men, nearly five of these daily deaths were among those below 30 years of age, while more than six were among those aged 30 and above. Among women, the burden remained concentrated in younger age groups: roughly seven of the 11 daily female deaths were among those below 30 years, compared to about four among women aged 30 and above. However, despite men overtaking women in recent years, more women (24,526) died by suicide due to marriage-related issues during 2019-24 than men (24,335). This was largely driven by higher female numbers between 2019 and 2021. WHAT’S KILLING THEM? The reasons listed under marriage-related issues by the NCRB are non-settlement of marriage, dowry-related issues, extra-marital affairs, divorce, and ‘other’ reasons. In 2024, a total of 1,634 marriage-related suicides were listed under ‘other’. Between 2019 and 2024, the four major causes accounted for 38,844 deaths by suicide – 18,359 men and 20,485 women.
Out of the 8,524 suicides reported in 2024, the biggest share (3,052) was due to non-settlement of marriage: 1,966 men and 1,086 women. Nearly 43% of all male marriage-related deaths by suicide in 2024 were linked to non-settlement of marriage, making it the single largest category among men. Uttar Pradesh, which reported the highest number of marriage-related suicides in India in 2024, also accounted for the highest suicides due to non-settlement of marriage at 764. With 394 men and 370 women dying in 2024 in Uttar Pradesh due to non-settlement of marriage, it is the only state that reported more than 500 deaths in the category, followed by Maharashtra at 421. A total of 1,693 suicides were due to dowry in India in 2024, of which 1,360 were women and 333 were men. Uttar Pradesh was again the leading state with 553 cases, of which 448 were women. Dowry was the only category where more women than men died by suicide. In all other marriage-related categories, men outnumbered women. Dowry-related issues accounted for over one-third (34%) of all female marriage-related deaths by suicides in 2024, remaining the leading category among women. Extra-marital affairs accounted for 1,624 marriage-related suicides in 2024, making it the third-largest category, while 521 suicides were attributed to divorce. West Bengal, with 317 cases, including 187 men, reported the highest number of suicides linked to extra-marital affairs. Karnataka led in divorce-related suicides with 105 cases, including 76 men. Marriage-related deaths by suicide were heavily concentrated in a handful of states.
Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number in 2024 with 1,931 deaths, accounting for nearly 23% of the national total. All other states reported under 1,000 deaths: Madhya Pradesh (918), West Bengal (870), Maharashtra (780) and Gujarat (594). Together, these five states recorded 5,093 marriage-related suicides, almost 60% of all such deaths reported in India during the year. A decade ago, six out of every 10 marriage-related suicides in India involved women. In 2024, men accounted for a majority of such deaths. The shift, driven primarily by rising male suicides while female numbers remained largely unchanged, marks one of the most significant changes in the profile of marriage-related suicides recorded by the NCRB over the past decade. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Nivedita Singh Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She twe... Read More First Published: June 13, 2026, 07:00 IST News india Men’s Deaths By Suicide Due To Marriage-Related Issues Double Since 2015: NCRB Data | Numberspeak Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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