-The Economic Times
NEW DELHI: An attempt to commit suicide will no longer be an offence as the Home Ministry has decided to delete the provision from the statute book. This is despite concerns from some states that they will be handicapped from stopping persons who resort to threatening the government by sitting on fast until death or self immolation to press for their demands.
The Home Ministry said on Tuesday that it has been decided to delete Section 309 (attempt to commit suicide) of the Indian Penal Code after 18 states and four union territories have supported the move. Till now, if a person survives an attempted suicide, he or she can be prosecuted under the law by the police and even sent behind bars for one year.
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