Digital arrest claims elderly couple's lives in Belagavi

Belagavi: An elderly couple from Beedi village in Khanapur taluk of Belagavi district ended their lives on Thursday evening after losing Rs 50 lakh to cyber frauds who placed them under digital arrest by threatening them over phone from Delhi. This is said to be the first case of victims ending their lives fearing digital arrest.

The deceased have been identified as Dorgjeron alias Diago Santan Nazareth (82) and his wife Flaviana (79), residents of Christian Galli, Beedi in Khanapur.

Superintendent of police Dr Bheemashankar Guled said Rs 50 lakh has been transferred to different accounts from the deceased's account. "We are investigating how much went to the fraudsters," Guled said.

Dorgjeron was found in a pool of blood in an underground water tank. It is suspected that he inflicted injuries on his neck with a sickle, while Flaviana, who was found lying lifeless in the house, may have consumed sedatives. Neighbours, on noticing Flaviana lying lifeless, informed the police.

The police found a suicide note, the sickle and the cell phone used by Dorgjeron.

In the handwritten two-page suicide note in English, Dorgjeron stated that he and his wife decided to end their lives as they did not want to live at someone's mercy. 

Dorgjeron mentioned in the suicide note that a person identified as Sumit Birra called him from Delhi claiming to be an official from the telecom department and warned of consequences, saying his cell phone was used for illegal advertisements. Birra later connected him to another person Anil Yadav who spoke about "consequences". "We are ending our lives as we do not want to live at the mercy of someone," the note says.

Dorgjeron also mentioned that callers sought details about shares and his property. They kept making demands till everything was over, the note says and adds that he was now 82 years old and his wife 79 years, with none to support them. The note states that details of the payments could be had from Paytm records which were Rs 5,000 and above and also mentioned the pin of his Paytm.

He also mentioned loans availed from friends and asked them to be paid off from the sale of the gold bangles and earrings and their remains to be donated to a medical institution for students' study.

The couple, who did not have children, said no one should be blamed for their act.

The Nandgad police have taken the cell phone, sickle and suicide note into their custody.