Every second day, Pune loses one of its own -- not to crime, not to disease, but to despair. Between January 2022 and September 12, 2025, 790 people in the city ended their lives, according to the shocking figures obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) query filed at the Pune Police Commissioner's office. The number of suicides among males is alarming compared to female suicides.
Behind these cold numbers are stories of men crushed under mounting financial debts, women trapped in abusive marriages, youngsters bullied at workplaces, and lovers destroyed by rejection.
Men more vulnerable
The RTI data reveals a brutal pattern: Men account for nearly three times more suicides than women, with financial stress emerging as the single biggest trigger. Of the 790 cases recorded in Pune city, 555 were male suicides (around 70%) and 235 were female suicides (around 30%), showing that men continue to be more vulnerable to taking the extreme step. Year-wise data indicates that in 2022, there were 229 cases (163 men and 66 women); the number slightly decreased in 2023 to 215 cases (160 men and 55 women), and remained at the same level in 2024 with 215 cases (146 men and 69 women). However, in just the first nine months of 2025, the city has already witnessed 131 suicides (86 men and 45 women), suggesting the possibility of surpassing previous annual figures if the trend continues.
Overall, the statistics highlight not only the persistence of the problem but also point towards a pressing need for targeted mental health interventions and preventive measures.
The query
Following the suicide of Vaishali Hagawane, who allegedly died due to domestic violence and dowry demand, RTI activist Vihar Durve procured the above information from Pune City police last week. Senior Police Inspector Smita Wasnik from Bharosa Cell of the crime branch provided the answer to Durve's query.
Speaking to Pune Time Mirror, Durve said, "The figures are alarming, especially in the backdrop of the recent Vaishali Hagawane incident, which brought the issue of domestic violence, atrocities on women, mental health, and systemic pressure back into sharp focus. The statistical data on suicides at the workplace also needs to be looked into."
Lax prevention
Durve pointed out that despite repeated tragedies, suicide prevention remains a neglected area, with authorities failing to implement effective counselling, awareness drives, and support systems for vulnerable groups.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar acknowledged the seriousness of the rising suicide cases and said the police are not only recording offences but also working towards preventive measures. "Regular awareness campaigns via our control room, Damini Squad, Bharosa Cell, coordination with NGOs, and outreach through police stations are being strengthened to provide timely intervention," he added.
Kumar emphasized that suicide is not just a law-and-order concern but a societal crisis, requiring joint efforts from families, communities, health professionals, and law enforcement.
Why are people dying?
Police files list distressing reasons: Until September this year, 53 cases reported were due to crippling financial burden, 31 due to domestic violence, eight due to workplace harassment/refusal of marriage, and four cases were due to one-sided love.
Rajesh Vakaria of Save India Family Foundation, a men's rights movement, highlighted that the disproportionate number of male suicides reflects the burden men silently carry. "Many men are pushed to the edge due to false domestic violence cases, family disputes, and the constant fear of social defamation, which maligns their image in society. Unless the legal system addresses these issues and provides equal mental health support to men, the rising suicide graph will remain unchanged."
Advocate Divya Chavan Jachak, who works extensively on the protection of women at the workplace, said that suicide cases linked to professional stress and workplace harassment are on the rise, but remain underreported. "Women employees, in particular, often face mental harassment, gender bias, and hostile environments, which drive some to take extreme steps."
Jachak stressed that both government and private organisations must strictly implement the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, along with mental health support systems, to prevent such tragedies.
Isha Jha, psychologist and life coach with Kalpavriksha Wellness, said, "Suicide is a growing crisis rooted in helplessness, isolation, chronic emotional pain, and the inability to ask for help. Men often suffer in silence under work, financial pressure, relationship, or health pressures, while women may be overwhelmed by postpartum challenges, multitasking, a need to fit in, and fear of failure.
"It's urgent that we break the silence and treat mental health with the same openness and seriousness as physical health."
Dr Hamid Dabholkar, a psychiatrist who works with Maharashtra Anis and Parivartan, said, "Unfortunately, the government is not working on suicide deaths in the state. Such issues need to be discussed and spoken about. They should come up with public health service centres for psychiatric treatment or counselling. If we have such a centre at our primary health centre, we will be able to curb the issue."
A wake-up call
The numbers are a chilling reminder of lives cut short, families devastated, and a city struggling to confront a crisis festering in silence.
The Pune Police have attempted awareness campaigns, from a cyclathon in 2020 to social media appeals urging citizens to talk and not suffer in silence.
" These numbers bring back issues of atrocities on women, mental health, and systemic pressure into sharp focus. The statistical data on suicides at the workplace also needs to be looked into. -- Vihar Durve, RTI Activist
"Suicide is a growing crisis rooted in helplessness, isolation, chronic emotional pain, and the inability to ask for help. -- Isha Jha, Psychologist and Life Coach