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29 March 2024

Indians top suicide cases in Dubai

Picture for illustrative purpose only. (AGENCIES)

Published
By Mohammed Al Sadafy
Of the total number of suicide cases reported in Dubai in 2009 about 70 per cent were Indian nationals, according to a recent statistics. Out of a total 113 people who chose to end their lives, 79 were from the Subcontinent, said a Dubai Security Official.
In 2008, of the 148 cases, 110 were Indians - representing about 74.3 per cent. In the first 10 months of 2010 there were 56 Indian expatriates among the 94 suicide cases - a 59.5 per cent of the total number. While in the first 10 months of 2009, 71 Indians ended their lives among the total 99 people - a 71.1 per cent of the total cases. This was a decline of 21 per cent.
In the first 10 months of last year 10 women committed suicide in Dubai -including one Indian, three Filipinos and two Nepalese, one British, one from Saudi, one Ethiopian.
Most of the victims chose to hang themselves, followed by cutting their wrists and jumping from high rises and drug overdoses.
The month of May witnessed the most number of suicide cases, when 10 Indians ended their lives followed by September (9 Indians), January (eight) and March (seven). In April and June (six each), April and August (three each) and February and October (two each).
Eight Pakistanis were among the 94 reported cases last year.
Meanwhile, Emiratis came in third place - six Nationals committed suicide last  year.
An Indian Consulate official said the hike in the number of suicides among Indians was due to financial reasons. Some of them had not got their salaries for about six months before they took the drastic step - especially those in the construction field. He added the consulate does receive complaints in this regard.
The UAE Ministry of Labour, in fact, has made it mandatory for all listed companies to adopt the WPS system.
Professor at the Department of Sociology at the University of Sharjah said suicides result from pressure and is a result of cumulative circumstances.
Religion plays a safety factor, he added. The high number of Indians can also be attributed to the fact that people from the Subcontinent form the majority of expatriates, he said.