In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs said on Wednesday that 3,548 people died by suicide due to unemployment in 2020, The Indian Express reported.

Citing the NCRB data, he said that between 2018 and 2020, 16,091 died by suicide due to bankruptcy or indebtedness – 4,970 in 2018; 5,908 in 2019; and 5,213 in 2020.

According to NCRB data, suicides due to unemployment has been increasing over the last few years – the toll was 2,851 in 2019; 2,741 in 2018; 2,404 in 2017; 2,298 in 2016; 2,723 in 2015; and 2,207 in 2014.

According to the data, the highest number of people committed suicide due to unemployment in 2020  in Karnataka (720), followed by Maharashtra (625), Tamil Nadu (336), Assam (234), and Uttar Pradesh (227).

Maharashtra reported the highest number of suicides due to bankruptcy or indebtedness.

A total of 1.53 lakh people committed suicide in 2020, up from 1.39 lakh in 2019.