In the wake of a spurt in suicides in the Kashmir Valley, a top Muslim cleric in the state on Thursday termed suicide as "un-Islamic" and sought awareness among people to "curb the menace."

"It (suicide) is haram (forbidden) in Islam. Islam has strictly prohibited such a step," the state's grand mufti Bashir-ud-Din said in a fatwa, a copy of which was faxed to PTI in Srinagar [Images].

The mufti took serious note of the cases of suicides, 116 since last year, and urged Muslim clerics to create awareness to curb this menace during their Friday sermons.

The decree came as the apex court of Islamic 'Shariat' (Dar-ul-Fatwa), headed by the mufti, felt that there has been a sharp increase in suicides in the Kashmir Valley with mostly younger persons, including women, taking the extreme step.

According to official figures, 116 people have committed suicide since 2006 in the Kashmir Valley, including 55 this year.

Out of 61 people who committed suicide last year, 43 were young and middle-aged women. This year too, of the 42 cases, 25 were women.

"Each passing day brings destruction in our society. Every day a young boy or girl ends his or her life either by succumbing to mental stress or other problems, endangering lives of others as well," the mufti said.

He urged preachers, clerics and ulemas to start an awareness campaign on the importance of life from mosques, shrines and other religious places.

"We have to make people aware about Islamic teachings, which strictly forbid suicide," he said.