Tragic Cyber Fraud: Elderly Couple's Suicide in Karnataka

An elderly couple from Beedi village, Karnataka, committed suicide after being duped of over Rs 50 lakh by cyber fraudsters posing as crime branch officials. A suicide note revealed they fell victim to a scam that caused them severe mental distress. Police are investigating and urging public vigilance.

In a heart-wrenching incident, an elderly couple from Beedi village in Karnataka's Belagavi district died by suicide after allegedly losing more than Rs 50 lakh to cyber fraud. The victims, identified as Diego Santan Nazareth, 82, and his wife Flavia, 79, were discovered dead in their home in Christian Galli.

Belagavi Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guled disclosed that the couple left behind a detailed two-page suicide note. 'It appears to be a suicide case at first glance, and the note suggests they were victims of cybercrime. They lost over Rs 50 lakh to fraud, possibly more,' he stated, adding that the investigation of their bank accounts is ongoing.

Initial findings indicate the couple was tricked by cybercriminals masquerading as crime branch officials, leading to severe distress. Despite repeated attempts to contact the fraudsters via WhatsApp video calls, their pleas went unanswered. Their final message threatened to end their lives if ignored, said SP Guled.

SP Guled emphasized the importance of public vigilance against cyber fraud, urging people to report suspicious activities immediately. 'If we had been informed, we might have prevented this tragedy. This incident is a societal wake-up call,' he stressed. The case, filed under abetment to suicide, has been transferred to the Cyber Economic and Narcotics police for further investigation.

Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the culprits. Special teams are gathering information from banks after the couple noted that fraudsters, pretending to be crime branch police from Delhi, extorted money by claiming the couple's ID was used for criminal activities, noted SP Guled.

(With inputs from agencies.)