Belagavi (Karnataka), March 29 : In a shocking incident, an elderly couple committed suicide after being harassed and blackmailed by cybercriminals for ransom in Karnataka's Belagavi district on Friday.

The incident was reported from Beedi village near Khanapura town. The deceased have been identified as 83-year-old Diago Nazarath, a retired railway employee, and his 79-year-old wife, Pavia Nazarath.

The tragedy came to light when a member of a women's self-help group visited their house. The jurisdictional Nandagarh police rushed to the scene and initiated an investigation. The involvement of cybercriminals was revealed through a death note left by Diago Nazarath, detailing the harassment they faced.

According to the police, the cybercriminals had contacted the elderly couple a month ago over the phone, posing as law enforcement officials. They falsely claimed to have nude photos and videos of the couple and made video calls to intimidate them. The criminals then demanded a ransom, threatening to leak the alleged content on social media if the couple refused to pay.

Under pressure, the couple transferred Rs 6 lakh to the bank account provided by the scammers. However, the criminals continued to demand more money and repeatedly called them for additional payments.

Unable to bear the torment, Pavia Nazarath consumed sleeping pills and ended her life. Distraught by his wife's death, Diago Nazarath decided to take his own life after writing a suicide note. He fatally slashed his neck and wrists.

Earlier on December 28, 2024, the Karnataka Police arrested a gang of four individuals, led by the Manager of the Corporate Division at Axis Bank in Gujarat, for siphoning off crores of rupees by stealing sensitive data from a company.

A software professional lost Rs 11 crore after falling victim to Digital Arrest in Bengaluru on December 23, 2024. According to the police, the cyber fraudsters disguised themselves as police officials from the Mumbai Crime Branch and committed the crime through Digital Arrest.

A case of a state government employee falling victim to cybercriminals and being robbed of Rs 19 lakh after being digitally arrested for six hours in Tumakuru district of Karnataka was reported on December 24, 2024.

/IANS