Farmer Ends Life After Terrifying Digital Arrest Ordeal
A 58-year-old farmer from Gujarat's Vadodara district died by suicide on Monday after falling victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud scheme known as 'digital arrest'. The victim, identified as Atul Patel, consumed poison at his home in Kayavarohan village after receiving threatening calls from scammers posing as Delhi police officers.
The Tragic Sequence of Events
According to Patel's nephew, Ansh Patel, the family noticed unusual behavior from the victim on the day of the incident. "My uncle had gone to work on his farm and when he returned home suddenly, I was surprised," Ansh told investigators. "He called me and told me that the Delhi police were calling him for an investigation."
The situation escalated when Ansh observed his uncle gathering bank passbooks and overheard a conversation mentioning Rs 40 crores. The scammers had allegedly threatened Patel with investigation into a massive transaction in his bank account linked to a narcotics case. Before anyone could intervene, Patel had consumed poison in an upstairs room of his house.
Police Investigation and Official Statements
Vadodara District Superintendent of Police Sushil Agrawal confirmed on Thursday that the police have initiated a thorough probe into the circumstances leading to Patel's death. "The victim was working as a guard in a granary. He consumed poison on Monday and had succumbed at a hospital," Agrawal stated.
The police official revealed that preliminary investigation showed Patel had received about six calls from suspicious numbers, but authorities haven't found evidence of any actual bank transactions from his account. A case of accidental death was registered at Dabhoi police station on Tuesday, and cyber crime officials are now examining all aspects of the digital trail.
Family members reported seeing WhatsApp calls from the fraudsters on Patel's phone and have demanded strict action against the cyber criminals responsible for the tragedy. The incident has highlighted the growing menace of digital arrest scams across India, where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officials to extort money from vulnerable targets.
