Kolkata: West Bengal has earned the dubious record of having the biggest increase in the number of suicides in the country.

According to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), West Bengal, with 14,310 suicides contributing 10.9 per cent of total suicides in the country in 2014, ranks third among states after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

While other states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have successfully reduced this social menace, the contribution of West Bengal to the number of suicides in the country, has drastically increased, with an average of 39 suicides every day.

Three years ago, in 2012, the state did not even figure on the list of top five states by number of suicides.

A year later in 2013, West Bengal contributed to 9.7 per cent of suicides in the country and in 2014 the state’s contribution increased by 10.9 per cent.

Not only has it increased its share of suicides in the country by a massive 1.2 per cent — compared to the number of suicides recorded in 2013, the rate in Bengal increased by 9.6 per cent.

However, the City of Joy, as Kolkata is known, appears immune to this menace with a relatively small 360 cases recorded during the same period.

In comparison to other state capitals, Kolkata has the recorded lowest numbers as 2,214 cases were reported in Chennai and 1,196 suicides were reported in Mumbai during the period.

The numbers have baffled sociologists and psychologists, as many fail to understand the deep urban rural divide that has been enumerated in this data.

Sociologists point out to the lack of opportunities both in terms of education and jobs that has led to frustrations among the rural population, leading to a surge in the number of suicides.

“Rural Bengal has been neglected by successive governments and, with little educational opportunity and a shrinking job space, the youth in particular are frustrated and taking their own lives,” said Pallav Kanti Ghosal, a sociologist.

Others say the surge in political violence is another reason for the increase in suicides.

“Many of the suicides are actual murders, which have been passed off by the police as suicides to cover up for the real culprits, who often are part of the ruling party. Hence to pin point exact social cause will be difficult,” said a police officer unwilling to be named.

“Whatever little opportunities are there they are completely based on party colour. In rural Bengal unless you are a member of the ruling party, you do not get the numerous government benefits. CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) started this trend Trinamool Congress has just furthered it. How will an average person survive?” said Sipra Basu, who runs a nongovernment organisation for skills development in rural West Bengal.