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Suicides linked to marital issues in India have shown a different trend since 2022. Analysis of official data reveals that in 2022 and 2023, more men than women died by suicide over marriage-related issues in India—the opposite of what was happening until 2021.
Women historically accounted for the majority of marriage-related suicides in India before 2022, as per data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). However, the pattern has now changed, with the gap being narrowed and reversed.
In 2023, 4,180 women died by suicide due to marriage-related issues. A total of 4,863 men have killed themselves during the same year for the same reason. This is an increase from 2022 when 3,926 women died by suicide compared to 4,237 men.
The numbers mark
a steep jump from 2015 when close to 4,000 women died by suicide over marriage-related issues compared to 2,497 men. The gap was widest in 2016, when 4,368 women died compared to 2,512 men.
In terms of daily average, in 2015, India lost 11 women to suicide due to marriage-related issues as against seven men. While the number of women remained at 11, that of men shot up to 13 suicides daily in 2023.
Rising male suicides have driven the overall increase in India. Marriage-related suicides rose from 6,412 in 2015 to 7,595 in 2019, and 9,043 in 2023. In terms of daily average, India reported 18 suicides per day over marriage-related issues in 2015 that increased to 25 in 2023.
In 2015 and 2016, of every 100 suicides due to marriage-related issues, about 35 to 40 were men while over 60 were women. In 2022 and 2023, this changed to about 45 to 50 women and more than 50 men.
While public discourse often focuses on the devastating impact of dowry and abuse on women, men face mounting pressures too—from non-settlement of marriage, extra-marital affairs, and the aftermath of divorce. These issues are emerging as significant contributors to male suicides, highlighting the urgent need to address marriage-related distress among men as well.
The suicide reasons listed under marriage-related issues by the NCRB are: non-settlement of marriage, dowry-related issues, extra-marital affairs, divorce, and ‘other’ reasons.
As shown in the graphics, during the five-year period between 2019 and 2023, dowry-related suicides was the only category where women’s numbers outnumbered men’s. In the rest of the categories, more men died by suicide than women.
Age-wise analysis shows that more men aged over 30 years died by suicide due to marriage-related issues between 2019 and 2023 than women. Women dominated the under-30 years category. The total suicides in the 30-45 age group for men reached 8,262, surpassing the 5,726 recorded for women in the same age range.
In the under-30 years category, 8,983 men died by suicide between 2019 and 2023 compared to 13,921 women. In the 30+ category, the numbers were 10,816 men against 6,619 women.
Marriage-related issues made up about 5 per cent of total suicides in 2022 and 2023 and stood as the fourth leading cause after family problems, illness, and drug abuse or alcoholic addiction. In 2017 and 2018, marriage-related issues were the third biggest cause with close to six percent share until drug abuse overtook that position.
Despite the rising trend, more women (20,540) have died by suicide due to marriage-related issues during the 2019-23 period than men (19,799). However, this is mainly due to higher numbers among women between 2019 and 2021.
This translates to three people a day in 2019—two men and one woman. By 2023, the number had risen to five a day—three men and two women, underscoring how extra-marital affairs are becoming a growing trigger for suicides.
While the numbers tell a disturbing story, cases like that of Atul Subhash put a human face on the crisis. The 34-year-old techie died by suicide, citing harassment by his estranged wife and her family. He left a 24-page suicide note and video claiming false legal cases and demands for large sums of money.
These trends show that distress linked to marriage is no longer only a women’s issue. With men now forming a rising share of these tragedies, India faces a defining moment to broaden its conversation about mental health, stigma, and support for all. Recognising and responding to these shifts is a public priority that cannot wait.
If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)
