Elderly Couple Dies by Suicide in Karnataka After Cyber Fraud Harassment

An elderly couple from Bidi village near Khanapur in Karnataka’s Belagavi district died by suicide after allegedly being harassed and extorted by cyber fraudsters. The victims, identified as Diago Santan Nazareth (82) and his wife Flaviana Nazareth (79), reportedly ended their lives after transferring more than ₹50 lakh to unidentified criminals.

According to The New Indian Express, Diago died by slitting his throat, while Flaviana consumed poison. The couple had been subjected to repeated threatening video calls from individuals posing as telecom officials. The fraudsters falsely claimed Diago was under "digital arrest" due to SIM card misuse.

Bodies Found at Their Residence, Police Investigate Case

The bodies were discovered by neighbors who alerted the Nandgad police. Flaviana was found inside the house, and Diago's body was later recovered from an underground water tank on their property. Both were moved to the Government Hospital in Khanapur for postmortem procedures.

Suicide Note Reveals Details of Cyber Extortion

Police found a handwritten note in English, in which the couple explained they had borrowed money from individuals in Goa to meet the fraudsters’ demands. The note stated that their debts could be cleared by selling their assets. Diago also identified one of the extortionists as someone impersonating a senior telecom officer from Delhi.

The note expressed the couple’s wish for their bodies to be donated to a medical college. However, due to technical constraints, the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences declined the donation. The couple was later buried in a local cemetery in Bidi.

Victim Was a Retired Government Employee and Educator

Diago, a retired Maharashtra Government Secretariat (Mantralaya) employee, was also known for mentoring students for competitive exams. The community expressed shock over the incident, highlighting the increasing threat of cybercrimes targeting vulnerable individuals.

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