Question

Given below are Legal Principles followed by a Factual Situation. Apply the principles followed by a factual Situation. Apply the principle to it and select the most appropriate answer for question among the four choices given.
LEGAL PRINCIPLE: Whoever attempts to commit suicide and does anything towards killing himself is said to have committed an offence.
FACTUAL SITUATION: Ramesh was dejected in his life. He had neither any interest to live nor any interest to live nor nay to goals to achieve. He was not getting proper sleep. In order to get good sleep, he used to take sleeping tablets. One day he consumed lot of sleeping tablets. He knew that consuming such heavy quantities of sleeping tablets could be fatal. His family members realised the situation and admitted him to the hospital where he was treated in the emergency ward. Now he is alright.

• A. Ramesh needs psychiatric treatment.
• B. Ramesh has not committed any offence as he has only consumed lot of sleeping tablets, which anyway he was taking earlier.
• C. Ramesh has committed the offence of attempt to commit suicide.
• D. Ramesh should have taken the sleeping tablets under the supervision of the Doctor.

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Ramesh has committed the offence of attempt to commit suicide.

Attempt to commit suicide is punishable under section 309 of IPC.

Ramesh had the knowledge that consuming sleeping tablets could be very fatal yet he consumes it. Therefore, it can be said that he tries to commit suicide.

Since an attempt to commit suicide is punishable under law and any person attempting to commit suicide is said to commit an offence. Therefore, Ramesh has committed the offence of attempt to commit suicide.