On 27 March, an elderly couple in Karnataka’s Belagavi district, India, took their own lives after cybercriminals deceived them and stole nearly ₹50 lakh (approximately S$78,000+).
The couple, 82-year-old Diogjeron Santan Nazareth and his 79-year-old wife Flaviana, left behind a heartbreaking note detailing how fraudsters posing as officials manipulated and financially drained them.
A Cruel Scam That Left Them Helpless
Nazareth, a retired government employee, and his wife had no children and lived a quiet life in Khanapur. Their ordeal began when Nazareth received a call from a man named Sumit Birra, who claimed to be from the telecom department in New Delhi. Birra told him that fraudsters had issued a SIM card in his name and were using it for illegal activities.
Frightened and confused, Nazareth was then transferred to another caller, Anil Yadav, who claimed to be from the Crime Branch. Yadav threatened him with legal consequences unless he provided details of his finances. Believing the fraudsters, the elderly couple transferred over ₹50 lakh in an attempt to clear their name. But the demands did not stop—records show the scammers kept pressuring them for more money.
A Final Goodbye
On Thursday, neighbors discovered the couple’s lifeless bodies. In their suicide note, Nazareth wrote that no one should be blamed for their decision, but he named the two scammers who had pushed them to despair. The note also detailed their remaining debts, including a ₹7.15 lakh gold loan and money borrowed from friends. He urged that their gold be sold to settle these dues.
In the note, the couple mentioned their age, with the husband being 82 and the wife 79, and stated that they had no one to rely on for support. They also expressed their desire to not live dependent on others, which led them to make the heartbreaking decision. Additionally, they requested that their bodies be donated to a medical institution for educational purposes.
Police Investigation Underway
Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guled confirmed that a case of abetment to suicide and cyber fraud has been filed against the two accused. “We are investigating their financial transactions and call records to track down the culprits,” he said.
The tragic case has once again highlighted the growing threat of cyber fraud, especially against vulnerable elderly citizens. Authorities are urging the public to be cautious of unsolicited calls demanding money or financial details and to report such scams immediately.
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