Is suicide a crime?

Is suicide a crime?

Indian government has decided to decriminalize attempt to suicide by repealing Section 309 from IPC. Eartlier, a person was punished with fine and a one-year jail term as per Indian Penal Code. The move leads to way for the release of rights activist Irom Sharmila. She has been on a hunger strike since last 14 years. Has the government taken a right direction? Is suicide not a form of offense or it is certainly one of the crimes? Let us discuss:

Yes

• Any action that results in loss of life of a person is a crime. The person might commit suicide and end up his own life but a life is given an unwanted end and that is a crime.

• Suicide brings trauma not only to the person who tries to commit suicide but also to the entire family. It is a form of mental and emotional torture.

• Stating suicide as no offense will encourage people to attempt it as they will know that even if they fail, they would not be sent to jail.

• Like abortion genetic engineering, euthanasia and cloning, suicide undermines the inviolability and sanctity of the human body.

• Legislation is social tool that sets the limits of individual action. By calling it as non-offense, the system will fail to include the ultimate sanction of its laws.

• Decriminalizing suicide would produce more people trying to threaten the system with indefinite fast. Some of these may even be politically motivated.

No

• Criminals are those people who have intention to hurt others but it is not the case with suicidal attempts.

• The people who try to commit suicide are mentally ill and want to end up their pain. They need treatment and not punishment.

• Government should work in association with the NGOs to help out such people rather punishing them. They might attempt suicide again after the punishment.

• All the individuals possess the right to self-ownership, and therefore they have a right to put an end to their life.

• Even a single burn on the body hurts so much. If a person can think of ending his own life unnaturally, he must be suffering from a lot of pain or mental disorder. Putting such a person behind bars is no use as he need rehabilitation.

Conclusion

Attempting suicide is certainly not an acceptable action. However, it can also not be called an offense. There should be a mid-way approach to handle the problem. It is ok if the government scraps the rule under IPC to punish the person but then the government should also introduce some other measures wherein such people are detained for treatment. A loss of human life is not loss for a single person but it is the loss for the family and society too.