Bengaluru is facing a rising mental health crisis, with 9,450 suicides reported between 2022 and Nov 2025—about seven deaths daily. Experts cite emotional distress, financial pressure, and limited access to mental health support as key factors.
Bengaluru has witnessed a concerning increase in suicides over the past four years, highlighting a growing mental health crisis in one of India’s major urban centres. Official data shows that between 2022 and November 2025, a total of 9,450 people died by suicide in the city, averaging about seven lives lost per day. This alarming figure includes 2,364 suicide cases reported in 2025 alone, underscoring a persistent and deep-rooted problem that demands urgent attention and action.
According to data tabled by Karnataka Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara in response to a question in the Legislative Council, Bengaluru has seen a noticeable rise in suicide deaths
• Total suicides in Bengaluru (2022–Nov 2025): 9,450 lives lost.
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• Average per day: About seven people died by suicide each day during this period.
Year-by-year breakdown:
• 2022: 2,313 deaths
• 2023: 2,370 deaths
• 2024: 2,403 deaths
• 2025 (till Nov): 2,364 deaths
Parameshwara’s figures show a persistent upward trend over four years, reflecting a deepening mental health challenge in the city. He also detailed the methods used in these suicide cases:
• Hanging: By far the most common method, with 8,148 cases.
• Poison ingestion: 740 deaths.
• Jumping from heights: 204 deaths.
In highlighting these numbers, Parameshwara’s data emphasised the serious scale of suicide as a public health concern in Bengaluru, with the figures representing not just statistics but human lives lost to emotional distress and socio-economic pressures.
Mental health specialists referenced in the same reporting noted that intense emotional pain and lack of effective coping skills are central to many suicide cases, and access to means — including readily available materials — contributes to the problem.
Contextually, other sources also show that Karnataka as a whole has a higher suicide rate than the national average and that Bengaluru consistently ranks among India’s major cities with high suicide incidence, reinforcing the need for focused interventions.
Experts point to a complex interplay of social, emotional, and psychological factors behind this grim trend. According to psychiatrists, suicide often stems from intense emotional pain, unresolved personal problems, and inadequate coping mechanisms. In many cases, contributors include family conflicts, relationship issues, financial stress, academic pressure, grief, and loneliness. The lack of effective problem-solving skills and limited access to mental health support further exacerbate the situation, leaving vulnerable individuals without the necessary help during critical moments.
Healthcare professionals highlight that Bengaluru’s wide range of stressors — from career pressures in a competitive tech-driven environment to the isolation experienced by many residents in a fast-paced city — may play a role in this rising trend. Mental health experts call for expanded counselling services, community support systems, and accessible crisis intervention channels to address the root causes and provide timely aid to those in distress.
The rise in suicide deaths in Bengaluru mirrors broader patterns seen across the state and the country. Karnataka itself has a higher suicide rate than the national average, with Bengaluru ranking among the top Indian megacities in reported suicide cases. This context emphasizes the need for state-level policy interventions and public awareness campaigns to destigmatize mental health struggles and encourage early help-seeking.
In response to these trends, authorities and non-governmental organisations are calling for enhanced suicide prevention strategies, including improved mental health education, community outreach programmes, training for frontline responders, and expansion of tele-mental health services. Experts stress that tackling the suicide crisis requires a multi-faceted approach involving families, educators, employers, healthcare systems, and policymakers to create a supportive environment where individuals feel heard, valued, and supported before thoughts of self-harm escalate into tragedy.
