Every time a young person’s photo shows up in the obituary columns, people of that generation feel more than a pang of pain and anguish. At the same time, there is a curiosity over what happened, sometimes extending to blaming someone or the other for the tragedy.
A young person’s death especially needs to be handled with deep sensitivity. Such losses are traumatic in the extreme. Careless language blaming the victim and sensationalising the tragedy can cause harm and even reinforce stigma. We need to acknowledge the grief of the family and friends. Let us be mindful that others who are vulnerable may be affected as well. There is a need to respect the dignity of the person who died and the emotional well-being of those who remain.
In Goa today, the major causes of death among young people revolve around a few worrying patterns. Road accidents remain the single biggest cause (linked to over-speeding, sometimes drunk driving, poor road discipline, risky road conditions, and dangerous two-wheeler use). Substance misuse and related health complications are a growing concern in some areas. Mental health struggles and suicides have risen, sometimes linked to academic pressure, relationship issues, unemployment anxieties and lack of accessible counselling. Lifestyle-related illnesses or sudden (and early) cardiac events are also among the causes. So, we have a cocktail of risk-taking behaviour, fragile support systems and gaps in prevention (from road safety enforcement to mental health services). A future filled with possibilities gets suddenly erased. Families grieve both the child they knew and the adult they will never see. For parents, such a death violates the natural order. Their instinct to protect a child is replaced by lifelong questions of “Why couldn’t I save him?” Siblings feel emptiness too.
In 2024, there were 286 road-accident fatalities in Goa, 45% being youths under 35. Thus, 130-140 young people died in road crashes in a year. Goa recorded 308 deaths by suicide in 2020, rising to 315 in 2021, then dipping to 301 in 2022, and jumping to 333 in 2023. In 2019, one in three to four cases was linked to illness or family problems. Mental health is a major issue in Goa, especially since the pandemic. Government agencies and NGOs are doing a lot of work, but more needs to be done, especially with the help of community volunteers.
Society’s curiosity can get the better of it in wanting to know how a young person died and why. But, we owe it to society and to ourselves to somehow go beyond just the tale-bearing.
Reducing suicides and road accidents in Goa requires a whole-community effort. Families and friends are the first line of support and can help in spotting distress or risky behaviour early. Schools, colleges and teachers can build safe, supportive environments and enforce strong road-safety norms. Road safety needs to be built as a daily, practical responsibility rather than a one-time awareness talk. Peer-to-peer safety ambassadors could work with lobbying for greater road safety. Doctors, counsellors and mental-health professionals can provide timely care and crisis interventions. Police and transport authorities have the duty to strengthen enforcement, signage, lighting and speed control. Panchayats and municipalities can improve road design, remove accident black spots, and create youth-friendly public spaces. Media also has an important role. Workplaces can offer counselling and practical safety training. Young people themselves can champion safer driving, healthier coping strategies and peer support.
We might not want to admit as yet that this significant concern is yet to be adequately tackled. But the pain is very real each time, and those directly affected know it the worst.
