KHUJAND, October 17, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Over the first nine months of this year, 231 cases of suicide have been registered in the Sughd province, which is 62.7 percent more than in the same period of last year, when 142 suicide cases had been reported in the province, according to the Sughd police directorate.

Of those having committed suicide this year, 109 were men, 122 women and 23 minors.

The source at the Sughd police directorate said that the listed causes of suicide were mental disease (33), economic problems (24), family problems (37) and unknown (137).

The latest two suicide cases ware reported in the city of Qairoqqum and Bobojonghafurov district yesterday. 

A 50 year-old resident of Qairoqqum Galina Murtazayaeva committed suicide by taking ten soporific pills on October 16.

The same day, a 47-year-old resident of the Bobojonghafurov district Ahamd Ismatov committed suicide by self-immolation.  

“Besides, 73 suicide attempts have been registered in northern Tajikistan in January-September 2008,” the source said, noting that 11 criminal proceedings have been instituted over the report period on the charge of driving to suicide.