Suicide by starvation and dehydration

Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy intake, below the level needed to maintain an organism's life. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death. The term inanition refers to the symptoms and effects of starvation. Starvation may have a natural cause or be man-made. Deliberately inflicting starvation upon a population is a crime according to international criminal law and may also be used as a means of torture or execution.

thumb|alt=Nishidhi stone with 14th century old Kannada inscription from Tavanandi forest|Nishidhi, a 14th-century Hero stone|memorial stone depicting the observance of the vow of Sallekhana with old Kannada inscription. Found at Tavanandi forest, [[Karnataka, India.]]

dehydration to the point of death