New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday said children taking extreme step was a very serious issue and directed the Union Health Ministry to file a status report on steps taken to prevent suicides by adolescents.
Advocate Gaurav Bansal had moved a plea in the apex court highlighting the issue of suicides by adolescents in New Delhi and urged the court to issue a direction to the government to provide better healthcare facilities in the country.
The matter came before a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud. The bench said it is a very serious issue and directed the Centre to bring on record steps taken to prevent suicides by adolescents.
The plea said that as per RTI replies provided by Delhi Police over 400 students under 18 years of age died by suicide in Delhi between 2014 and 2018. The plea, citing the RTI’s response, said that in the last five years, the total count of under-18 student suicides in Delhi was 443.
Bansal said that the government should seriously consider the increasing number of suicides, especially among young people. He stressed that the government should provide mental healthcare facilities like consultation, awareness programmes, call centres and other things
The petition contended that the reasons for these suicides have not been given as most cases are under investigation by the police. The petitioner urged the top court to issue a direction to all state governments to plan, design, formulate and effectively implement public health programmes to prevent suicides.
