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An elderly couple in Karnataka’s Belagavi district died by suicide after cybercriminals defrauded them of ₹50 lakh. The victims, Diyango Najarat (83) and his wife Playviana Najarat (79), were reportedly threatened by fraudsters posing as officials from the Delhi Crime Branch.
According to police sources, the scammers contacted the couple via a video call, falsely accusing them of being involved in a criminal case. The criminals claimed their mobile number and ID proof had been misused and demanded ₹5 lakh as a settlement fee. The elderly couple, both retired employees of the Maharashtra Secretariat, initially paid the amount, but the threats continued, ultimately leading to a total loss of over ₹50 lakh.
Fearing further harassment and with no immediate family to turn to, the couple took the extreme step. Diyango Najarat ended his life by slitting his throat, while his wife consumed poison. The incident, initially suspected to be a murder case, took a different turn when police recovered a suicide note detailing the couple’s distress.
Authorities have begun a thorough investigation, analyzing the couple’s bank records to determine the exact amount lost. “We are treating this as a serious case of cyber fraud and are actively investigating the fraudsters behind it,” said a senior police official from Nandgad. The bodies have been sent to Belagavi BIMS Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
