BELAGAVI, 28 MARCH

A loss of Rs 50 lakh in a digital scam pushed an elderly couple to debt and suicide in Khanapur taluk, police said.  Diogjeron Santan Nazareth, 82, and his wife Flaviana, 79, residents of Beedi village in Khanapur, were found dead in their home after the neighbours alerted the Police who found a suicide note.

In the death note, Diogjeron said one Sumit Birra claiming to be a telecom official told him a sim card in his named was being used for illegal purposed and transferred the call to one Anil Yadav claiming to be from crime branch who threatened legal consequences if they did not transfer money. More than Rs 50 lakh was transferred. He expressed inability to pay off a gold loan he took and requested that the same be paid off with his wife’s gold jewelry. He also expressed a wish for their bodies to be donated to a medical institution for students to study.

Belagavi SP Dr Bheemashankar Guled told Salar News that the couple had obtained a gold loan of Rs  7.5 lakh from a private financial institution and borrowed Rs 5 lakh each from two persons.

“The couple were disturbed as they had not cleared the loan and interest amounts of private money lenders,” Guled said. “Based on the death note and preliminary inquiry, we have registered a case of abetment to suicide and cyber fraud against the two accused named in the note. Further investigation is underway,” said Belagavi Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guled. “Now I am 82 years old, and my wife is 79. We have no one to support us. We do not want to live at the mercy of anyone, so we have taken this decision,” the note said.  Police have taken his mobile phone, the knife, and the suicide note into custody as part of the investigation.