35-Year-Old Government Teacher Kills Self After Fraudsters Threaten Her With 'Digital Arrest' In Bhopal

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A 35-year-old teacher ended her life after some cyber fraudsters threatened her to place her under digital arrest, claiming her parcel contained illegal materials in Madhya Pradesh’s Mauganj, police said on Monday.

This is likely the first case in the state where a victim of digital arrest or cyber fraud has ended their life.

Reshma Pandey consumed poison on Sunday evening in the Ghurehata area and succumbed on Monday, the police said. The accused even extorted Rs 27,000 from her.

Superintendent of Police Rasna Thakur stated that the cyber fraudsters were pressuring the government guest teacher after claiming a parcel she had sent contained illegal materials. The accused were demanding money from her. After she consumed a poisonous substance, her relatives rushed her to Sanjay Medical College in Rewa, but she died en route.

"We have registered a case, and a cyber team has begun an investigation," the SP added.

The deceased's brother-in-law, Vinod Pandey, said cyber fraudsters had placed her under 'digital arrest' and made her transfer Rs 22,000 and Rs 5,500 into accounts they provided her.

"She then consumed poison. The accused claimed she would be arrested if she did not pay the money," he said.

In the past two years, cyber fraudsters have siphoned off Rs 137 crore of the hard-earned money of the people of the state, the state government reported in the assembly on Tuesday.

Cyber cheating, digital arrest, and other forms of cyber fraud are increasing day by day in the state. In the past two years, a total of 27 cases of digital arrest and 965 cases of cyber cheating have been reported.

Previously, the cities of Indore and Bhopal were the main targets of the fraudsters, but now their activities are spreading to other parts of the state.