Karnataka couple dies by suicide after being scammed of ₹50L
What's the story
An elderly couple from Beedi village in Khanapur, Karnataka's Belagavi district, allegedly committed suicide after being duped in a cyber fraud.
Diogjeron Santan Nazareth (82) and his wife Flaviana (79) lived alone as they had no children.
Their bodies were found by neighbors on Thursday. Police said Diogjeron was found dead in an underground water tank at their house, and Flaviana's on the bed.
Note contents
Death note reveals details of the couple's tragic decision
A handwritten death note by Diogjeron explained their tragic decision: they didn't want to live at anyone's mercy.
It also named two people - Sumit Birra and Anil Yadav - who had allegedly duped them.
According to the letter, Birra, claiming to be a telecom department official from New Delhi, told Diogjeron that a SIM had been fraudulently purchased in his name to harass him and for illegal advertisements.
Scam details
Fraudsters demand financial details and threaten legal action
The call was then transferred to Yadav, who introduced himself as a Crime Branch official.
Yadav reportedly asked for Diogjeron's property and financial details, threatening him with legal action over the alleged SIM card misuse.
The couple was then scammed and transferred over ₹50 lakh to them. However, they kept demanding more money, according to electronic transaction records accessed by police.
Financial woes
Couple's financial struggles and final wishes
Diogjeron's death note also spoke of a gold loan of ₹7.15 lakh, with interest due on June 4.
He pleaded that the loans be repaid by selling his wife's gold jewelry.
"The amount should be paid, and the gold should be sold," the note read.
Their final wish was for their bodies to be donated to a medical institution for students' study purposes.
Investigation underway
Police have launched an investigation into the scam
Belagavi SP Bhimashankar Guled said based on the death note and initial inquiry, a case of abetment to suicide and cyber fraud has been registered against the two named in it.
Diogjeron's mobile phone, knife, and suicide note have been seized by police.
Further inquiries are ongoing to gather more details about the tragic incident.