Suicides and accidental deaths in Uttara Kannada district from January to June, 2007, were 328. This figure was 561 in 2005 and 602 in 2006.
Out of the 328 deaths till June, 2007, 95 are in road accidents, 49 suicides by hanging, 42 by consuming poison and 51 by drowning.
More than half of road accident deaths were on National Highway 16 and National Highway 17. Road accidents were less in city and town limits due to the presence of police.
Most of the suicides have been reported from Honnavar, Sirsi, Karwar, Kumta and Mundargi. Farmers and goldsmiths formed a majority of these suicide deaths.
Eight people died in the last six months after being run over by trains. Already, 12 persons have ended their lives by burning themselves.
Drowning deaths (51) up to June, 2007 are more than such deaths in 2005 (44) and 2006 (29).
Most drowning deaths take place in Gokarna and Devbag and most persons are washed away in Kumta, Honnavar and waterfalls in the district. So far nine deaths have been reported due to electric shock.
District police say that road accident deaths have not been caused by their negligence. Additional Superintendent of Police S P Tyavergi has advised people not to end their lives over petty reasons.