BELGAVI: A tragic incident unfolded in Karnataka’s Belagavi district where an elderly couple died by suicide after falling victim to a cyber fraud involving over ₹50 lakh. The couple, unable to cope with the humiliation and financial loss, ended their lives, police said.
According to the police, the victims were 83-year-old Diyango Nataraj and his 79-year-old wife Pliviana Nataraj, retired employees of the Maharashtra Secretariat who were living in Belagavi. Cyber criminals contacted them via video call, claiming to be from the Delhi Crime Branch and accused them of being involved in a criminal case.
The fraudsters told the couple that they were being “digitally arrested” and already had access to their personal identification details. They threatened the couple with a false murder case and demanded ₹5 lakh as a fee to settle the matter. Fearing arrest, the couple transferred the money.
However, the fraud did not stop there. The cyber criminals continued to threaten them and, in multiple transactions, extorted over ₹50 lakh from the couple’s bank accounts. With no children or close relatives to turn to, the couple reportedly felt helpless and ashamed.
Diyango died by slitting his throat, while his wife Pliviana consumed poison. Initially, police suspected foul play, but later recovered a suicide note from the house, in which the couple explained how they were cheated.
Police are now reviewing the couple’s bank account transactions, confirming that more than ₹50 lakh was transferred to the scammers. The bodies have been sent to Belagavi BIMS Hospital for post-mortem examination.
