Belagavi: An elderly couple, both former employees of Maharashtra Secretariat, died by suicide after they were duped of around Rs 50 lakh by cybercriminals in Karnataka’s Belagavi district. Diyango Najarat (83) ended his life by slitting his throat. His wife, Playviana Najarat (79), reportedly consumed poison. According to reports, the couple left behind a suicide note, mentioning about their fear and despair after being threatened by fraudsters. It has been alleged that the fraudsters posed as officials from the Delhi Crime Branch.
The scammers contacted the couple via a video call and falsely accused them of being involved in a criminal case, reported the India Today. The cybercriminals claimed that the couple’s mobile number and ID proof had been compromised. They allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakh as a settlement fee.
The couple paid the amount. But they were subjected to more harassment as the fraudsters continued to extort money from them. The couple had no children. It is being reported that they did not inform anyone about the threats and extortion.
Cops had initially suspected it to be a case of murder. However, police later recovered the couple’s suicide note. The bodies have been sent to Belagavi BIMS Hospital for post-mortem.
“We have accessed their bank accounts and are still calculating the total amount extorted. This is a serious matter, and a detailed investigation is underway,” a senior police official from Nandgad was quoted as saying by India Today.
