Chennai, Sep 17 (IANS): Tamil Nadu saw the highest number of suicides by self-immolation in the past decade.

Hanging is the most common method of committing suicide in the country, accounting for 39.8 per cent of all recorded cases, followed by poisoning (27.9 per cent) and then self-immolation (7.95 per cent).

Tamil Nadu accounts for 20 per cent of all the self-immolation deaths in the country. From 2012 onwards, the state has topped the list in suicides committed in this fashion.

There is a general belief that most self-immolation deaths are due to activism and activists for a cause die through self-immolation.

However, psychologists differ. Sukanya Sanjay, a psychologist in Madurai, told IANS that "The theory that the maximum number of people who kill themselves through self-immolation are activists is not true. According to my studies which I have been conducting for the past five years, a sudden spurt leads to most self-immolation deaths."

Sukanya said that most failures in love affairs take the route of self-immolation but added that this could not be generalized. The psychologist said that most of the self-immolation bids are getting reported but added that in some cases they have been underreported especially in the rural areas.

R. Periyasamy, Chief Coordinator, Sahithi, a social organization doing counselling and psychological studies, while speaking to IANS said, "Most of those who tried self-immolation and survived told me that they preferred self-immolation as there is a feeling of courage in it. Another factor is the belief associated with the Hindu religion with fire being revered and embracing death by fire is considered as pure."

Several political party workers who took their lives when either their leaders died or were in a tough situation preferred self-immolation.