BIJNOR: A 28-year-old woman allegedly died by suicide in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor after being harassed and blackmailed by cyber fraudsters posing as police officers in a so-called “digital arrest” scam. The fraud came to light when repeated video calls were received on her phone during funeral preparations, police said.
Monika Devi, a resident of Faridpur Bhogi village, was found dead in her room on Monday night while her two daughters, aged 9 and 11, were asleep nearby. The children alerted family members the next morning after finding her unresponsive.
Initially, the family began cremation preparations without informing the police. However, at the cremation ground, Monika’s phone repeatedly rang. When a relative answered a video call, he reportedly saw a man dressed in a police uniform claiming to be a crime branch officer. The caller allegedly demanded to speak to Monika and threatened legal consequences if she failed to respond—raising suspicion of a scam.
Police later recovered a handwritten note from Monika, in which she described being harassed and blackmailed over an extended period. Family members said the note reflected deep fear and distress, suggesting she had been intimidated to the point where she could not fully explain the situation.
In the note addressed to her husband, she expressed remorse, asked for forgiveness, and urged him to care for their children. She also apologised to her parents and siblings.
Her husband, Randhir Singh, filed a complaint on Wednesday, after which police launched an investigation. Authorities said initial examination of her phone revealed that the scammers had contacted her via WhatsApp from multiple numbers.
Investigators are now tracing the cybercrime network through chat records, call logs, and phone data. Family members believe Monika may have been targeted due to her limited education, as she had studied up to Class 9.
What is a “digital arrest” scam?
Police say fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officials and threaten victims with arrest or legal action, often via video calls, to extort money or coerce compliance. Authorities have urged the public to verify such claims and report suspicious calls to cybercrime helplines.
