Thiruvananthapuram, March 7 (IANS) Suicides caused by failed love affairs are rising steadily in Kerala, which leads the country in the total number of suicides.

A total of 117 jilted lovers took their lives 2008, according to the Economic Review, released Thursday by the Kerala State Planning Board.

In 2006, 70 people killed themselves after failed love affairs. The figure rose to 81 in 2007.

Kerala's overall suicide rate is 26.30 while the national average is 10.8.

However, the total number of suicides in the state in 2008 was the lowest in an eight-year period (2000-08) with 8,569 suicides as compared to 9,810 in 2002.

Kerala Women's Commission chairperson Justice (retd.) D. Sreedevi attributed the increase in suicides by jilted lovers due to easy access to mobile phones, which help people to connect.

'The rising suicides is a serious social issue. We have identified the use of mobile phones as the problem. Last month we had four cases where teenaged girls came to us complaining their lovers had ditched them. All of them were pregnant,' Sreedevi told IANS.

'Last year, a well educated lady said her lover had ditched her after a three-year relationship. We intervened and made them meet, and the next we heard was that both had committed suicide,' Sreedevi said.

The Commission is now engaged in a widespread campaign in educational institutions on various aspects of the problem.

'We screen documentaries, hold camps and distribute pamphlets to sensitise the young on how they should conduct themselves,' the chairperson added.

A worried Kerala government has banned the use of mobile phones in schools.