A 38-year-old woman died by suicide at her residence in Maharashtra's Thane district after she allegedly became distressed on learning that her bank account had been linked to multiple cyber fraud cases registered in several states, police said on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Devika Armugam Pandaram, a resident of Sairam Society in Dombivli (East).
According to police, Pandaram became increasingly anxious after authorities informed her that her Bank of Maharashtra account had allegedly been used in connection with online fraud cases reported in different parts of the country.
Police have registered a case of accidental death and launched an investigation into the matter.
Rajasthan cyber police visited her residence
Officials from the Churu Cyber Cell police station in Rajasthan visited Pandaram's residence on August 8, police said.
The officials served her with a notice asking her to appear for questioning in connection with a case registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.
Police said the notice stated that her Bank of Maharashtra account had allegedly been used in an online fraud case.
Following the visit, Pandaram approached the Cyber Crime Department at the Thane Police Commissionerate to seek clarification regarding the matter.
Police said cases were registered in several states
Officials at the Thane Police Commissionerate informed Pandaram that multiple cyber fraud cases had allegedly been registered against her across several states, police said.
The cases were reported from Haryana, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, according to the police.
It was not immediately clear how her bank account came to be allegedly linked to the fraud cases or whether she was suspected of directly participating in the offences.
The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances in which the account was allegedly used and the nature of the transactions that led to the cases being registered.
Woman reportedly feared having to travel for questioning
Police said Pandaram became distressed over the possibility of having to travel to different states for questioning in connection with the cases.
According to relatives, she was overwhelmed by anxiety about the prospect of appearing before police authorities in multiple states.
At around 4 pm on Tuesday, Pandaram used a sharp blade to inflict injuries on herself, police said, quoting her relatives.
Her family members immediately rushed her to a nearby private hospital.
Woman declared dead at municipal hospital
Pandaram was subsequently referred to the municipal-run Shastri Nagar Hospital for further treatment.
Doctors at the hospital declared her brought dead, police said.
The incident has drawn attention to the stress and anxiety that can arise when individuals discover that their financial accounts may have been used or linked to alleged cybercrime activities.
However, police have not yet provided details on whether Pandaram's account was misused without her knowledge or whether investigators had identified any other individuals connected with the alleged fraud cases.
Police begin investigation
Police have registered a case of accidental death and are investigating the circumstances surrounding Pandaram's death.
The inquiry is also likely to examine the information received by Pandaram regarding the cyber fraud cases and the circumstances in which her bank account was allegedly used.
Further details are expected as investigators continue their probe into the case.
(With inputs from PTI)
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