Elderly couple dies after losing Rs 50 lakh in cyber fraud; police suspect suicide

BELAGAVI: An elderly couple died by suicide at Beedi village in Belagavi district after allegedly losing over Rs 50 lakh to cyber fraud. According to the police, the victims, identified as Diego Santan Nazareth (82) and his wife Flavia (79), were found dead in their home in Christian Galli.

According to Belagavi Superintendent of Police (SP) Bhimashankar Guled, the couple left behind a two-page suicide note detailing their ordeal. “The bodies of an elderly couple were found in their home in Beedi village, and prima facie, it appears to be a case of suicide. We have also found a two-page death note. According to the contents of the death note, they seem to have been victims of a cybercrime. It appears they lost over Rs 50 lakh due to cyber fraud, and the actual amount could be even higher. We are also investigating their bank accounts”, he said.

Preliminary investigations suggest they were tricked by cybercriminals posing as crime branch officials. “Preliminary investigation suggests that the couple was mentally distressed after falling victim to cyber fraud. They had repeatedly tried to contact the fraudster through WhatsApp video calls. The last message they sent stated, ‘If you do not answer our calls, we will end our lives’,” he said.

The SP urged the public to remain vigilant against cyber fraud and report any suspicious activity to the police immediately. “If they had informed us, we could have protected them. This incident is a wake-up call for society”, he added.

“We have registered a case based on the death note and also under charges of abetment to suicide. The case has been transferred to the Cyber Economic and Narcotics (CEN) police station, and the investigation will continue under my supervision. We will make every effort to identify and arrest the perpetrators as soon as possible”, said SP Bhimashankar Guled.

“Our two special teams are already visiting various banks to collect information. The death note reveals that the cybercriminals contacted the couple, claiming that their ID had been used to commit a cybercrime. The fraudsters provided them with a phone number, claiming it belonged to the Crime Branch Police. Believing them to be genuine officers from Delhi, the couple called the provided number. The criminals then intimidated the couple and extorted money from them”, SP Guled said. (ANI)