Elderly Couple Ends Lives After Cyber Fraud Extortion in Karnataka

In a shocking turn of events, an 83-year-old retired Maharashtra government official and his 80-year-old wife ended their lives at their home in Belagavi, Karnataka, late Thursday after falling prey to cyber fraud. The couple had reportedly been blackmailed and threatened with "digital arrest" by online fraudsters for nearly three months, police said. This is possibly the first such case in the country resulting from cyber harassment.

The deceased, identified as Diego Santan Nazareth and his wife Flaviana, were found in their residence in Khanapur. A suicide note left behind by Diego blamed two individuals, Sumit Birra and Anil Yadav, for extorting Rs 5 lakh from them. The couple, who had no children, did not inform their neighbors or the police about the harassment, said Belagavi SP Bhimashankar Guled. Expressing concern over such cases, he urged citizens to report suspicious calls immediately.

According to the suicide note, the accused had been harassing the couple since January, posing as telecom officials from Delhi. They falsely accused the couple of misusing their mobile SIM card for criminal activities and threatened them with digital arrest. After extracting Rs 5 lakh, the fraudsters continued to demand more money, pushing the couple into distress.

Flaviana's body was found inside the house, while Diego's was recovered from a water sump outside. Investigations suggest that the couple consumed poison, while Diego additionally attempted to slit his throat with a sickle before jumping into the sump.

Diego also mentioned in the note that he had taken gold and "friendly loans" from individuals in Goa and Mumbai, requesting that these be repaid from the proceeds of their property sales. Honoring Diego’s wish expressed in the note, the couple’s bodies have been donated to Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) for medical research.​