Monika, the wife of Randhir and the mother of Jiya and Nandani, was found hanging from a scarf in her room while two of her daughters were sleeping.
Monika, 28, revealed in her suicide note about relentless online harassment and intimidation. (Photo: X)
A 28-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor died by suicide, allegedly due to prolonged online harassment and intimidation that brought renewed attention to the so-called “digital arrest” scams, in which fraudsters impersonate police officers to threaten people.
Monika, the wife of Randhir and the mother of Jiya, 8 and Nandani, 11, was found hanging from a dupatta (long scarf) in her room while two of her daughters were sleeping. The incident came to light the next morning when the children discovered her body, according to a report by India Today.
‘Mummy Has To Die’
Fearing social stigma, Monika’s family performed her final rites without informing the police. However, the family later found an emotional suicide note, in which Monika narrated the painful ordeal that compelled her to take the extreme step.
Addressing her younger daughter, Monika wrote, “Sorry Jiya, mummy ko marna hi padhega (mummy has to die).”
While addressing her husband, Monika said, “I want to tell you something, actually a lot. There is one person who is blackmailing me nowadays. He had been pressuring me for a long time. As a result, I am taking this extreme step. Please forgive me if possible.”
After recovering the note, Monika’s family checked her phone and discovered multiple calls, messages and audio recordings from several unknown numbers, revealing a shocking pattern of online harassment and intimidation. Several callers posed as Crime Branch officials, who accused her of serious offences like trafficking.
Threats Continued Even After Death
The scam calls did not end even after Monika’s death. Her phone kept receiving calls even during her cremation, according to the India Today report.
When Monika’s nephew, Sanyog, answered one call, a man dressed in a police uniform appeared on a video call, and demanded to speak to her. When he was told that Monika was unavailable, he reportedly started making threats.
When he was finally told that Monika had died, the man started threatening her husband and the entire family. At this point, Monika’s family informed the police. The UP police registered a case at Kotwali City station under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and an investigation is underway.
Investigators believe that Monika’s case resembled a “digital arrest”, where fraudsters impersonate a police official to intimidate people by threatening them with dire consequences like jail. The fraudsters are believed to have demanded money from Monika and threatened to destroy her reputation and family if she didn’t pay them.
If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)
Bijnor, India, India
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