VietNamNet Bridge – The authorities of the mountainous district of Son Tay in the central province of Quang Ngai are seeking ways to prevent locals from committing suicide as the number of suicide cases has rocketed.

A local man sits near a la ngon tree

Ka Dong people in Son Tay district are very familiar with la ngon – the tree with toxic leaves that can easily kill people – which grows everywhere there. The villages here have seen people easily end their lives with la ngon.

In Dak Lang resettlement area in Son Dung commune, Son Tay district, a man named Dinh Van So recently killed himself with a glass of wine and some la ngon leaves, leaving his wife and four children struggling with a hard life. 

Villagers said that So committed suicide after a quarrel with his wife. Previously, So’s relatives also committed suicide.

In late 2014, So’s niece named Dinh Van Son killed himself with la ngon after being scolded by his parents.

Several months later, So’s cousin named Dinh Van Pha committed suicide with la ngon after a fight with his wife.

According to the police of Son Tay district, up to 25 people committed suicide and 21 people died n 2015.

In only a month and a half in early 2016, Son Tay had up to 10 suicides, causing eight deaths. On February 19, two people killed themselves with la ngon.

On February 4, a man named Dinh Van Dau, 66, killed himself with la ngon. Relatives said that after Dau’s wife suddenly died in 2013, his children did not listen to their father’s guidance anymore. The father, thus, committed suicide.

Not long ago, a boy named Dinh Van Tho, 19, hanged himself for being drunk and feeling the blues.

On February 19, a woman named Dinh Thi Du, 65, hanged herself at home. The reason is that the sick woman did not want to bother their children.

A man named Dinh Van Ngoan, 48, was saved twice after he tried to kill himself with la ngon. In the third time, he took both la ngon and beat his head with stones, so nobody could save him.

Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Van Dung, chief police officer of Son Tay district, said the local authorities had tried some measures but suicide cases kept occurring in the district.

Dung said most people took la ngon to kill themselves, so the local authorities have recently launched a movement to destroy la ngon trees.

Cao Thai