Community-based suicide prevention programme by NIMHANS to be expanded across Bengaluru South

A community-based suicide prevention programme piloted in Karnataka’s Channapatna taluk is set to be expanded across the entire Bengaluru South following encouraging results from a three-year intervention led by NIMHANS.

The expansion of Project SURAKSHA was announced on Wednesday by the NIMHANS Suicide Prevention, Research, Implementation Training and Engagement Centre (N-SPRITE) in collaboration with the Karnataka government and Himalaya Wellness Company.

Launched in 2023 in Channapatna taluk, the programme is described by NIMHANS as India’s first sustained community-based suicide prevention initiative. It was developed in line with the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, 2022, and the World Health Organization’s LIVE LIFE framework.

In all five taluks

The project will now be extended to all five taluks of Bengaluru South. The Karnataka government has also approved the first phase of implementation in Ballari district, one of the States reporting high numbers of suicides, said Anish V. Cherian, principal investigator of Project SURAKSHA, Lead of N-SPRITE and Additional Professor in the Department of Psychiatric Social Work at NIMHANS.

He said the expansion marked an important step in bridging research and community-based mental healthcare.

In 32 gram panchayats

According to the project report released on Wednesday, the pilot programme operated across 32 gram panchayats in Channapatna taluk and focused on surveillance, crisis intervention, awareness generation and restriction of access to lethal means.

A major component of the programme involved setting up community-based surveillance teams comprising panchayat representatives, teachers, healthcare workers, self-help group members and frontline staff trained to identify vulnerable individuals and provide referrals.

Dr. Cherian said 795 trained community members conducted around 300 stakeholder visits and reached more than 6,000 people during the project period.

Suicide gatekeeper training

The programme also conducted suicide gatekeeper training sessions for 4,185 frontline workers, including police personnel, anganwadi workers, PHC staff, fire and safety officers, educators and students. Project SURAKSHA also reached over 14,000 students in schools and colleges through awareness sessions.

Additionally, as of February 2026, over 1.7 lakh individuals in the taluk have been reached through the dissemination of IEC materials. The initiative also established self-harm registries across 69 hospitals and health centres to systematically record suicide attempts and provide follow-up care. A total of 1,261 cases were recorded, the report stated.

No repeat attempts

Dr. Cherian said no repeat suicide attempts had been reported among individuals who received intervention and follow-up support under the programme.

As of February 2026, the project’s helpline received over 193 calls, including 33 crisis calls requiring immediate intervention.

Reducing stigma vital

NIMHANS director Prabha S. Chandra said reducing stigma around suicide attempts and extending support to affected families was essential to prevention efforts.

“The need of the hour is to build an ecosystem that supports persons who attempt suicide and prevents repeat attempts,” she said.

In the next phase, trained mental health professionals will conduct home visits to provide psychological first aid and grief counselling to families affected by suicide.