Child suicides spike in Manipur as state policy remains in limbo
Manipur faces a troubling rise in child suicides, prompting calls for urgent policy action. Authorities stress the need for a comprehensive child protection framework to safeguard children's well-being
- Aug 26, 2025,
- Updated Aug 26, 2025, 2:23 PM IST
The Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights has raised alarm over three child suicide cases reported within just two months in Bishnupur district, calling for immediate government action on a long-delayed state child policy.
Keisam Pradipkumar, chairperson of MCPCR, highlighted the urgent need for intervention as children from marginalised communities, including internally displaced persons, face mounting mental health challenges. The commission cited COVID-19 impacts, ethnic conflict, and economic hardship as key factors pushing vulnerable children toward crisis.
Among the recent tragedies, a 13-year-old IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) boy was found dead at a school boarding facility in Saiton Village this July. In early August, a 15-year-old boy was discovered hanging at his home in Moirang Khoiru Makha Leikai. Later that month, a Class IX girl in Thamnapokpi took her own life, with cyberbullying suspected as a contributing factor.
"The absence of a statutory policy leaves children—especially IDPs, marginalised groups, and those affected by COVID-19, ethnic conflict, and economic hardship—highly vulnerable to serious mental health risks," the commission stated in its notice dated August 26.
The Draft Manipur State Policy for Children, first circulated for public consultation in 2020 and revised in March 2025, continues to await government notification. This delay has left the state without comprehensive frameworks to address rising child welfare concerns.
MCPCR has outlined immediate action points for various departments. The Cyber Crime Police must strengthen their capacity to prevent online exploitation and bullying, while the Education Department should integrate cyber safety and life skills programs in schools. Medical institutions RIMS and JNIMS are urged to provide evidence-based psychosocial support through their psychiatry departments.
The commission emphasised that "recent serial suicides underscore a disturbing trend requiring urgent, coordinated action" and called upon all stakeholders to address root causes of distress while adopting comprehensive preventive measures.