An elderly couple in the Belagavi district, Karnataka, tragically died by suicide after being defrauded of Rs 50 lakh by cybercriminals. Diyango Najarat, 83, took his life by slitting his throat, while his wife, Playviana Najarat, 79, ingested poison. They reportedly left behind a suicide note, detailing their despair and fear resulting from threats made by fraudsters posing as officials from the Delhi Crime Branch.

According to reports, the scammers first contacted the couple via video call, falsely accusing them of involvement in a criminal case. The cybercriminals claimed that the couple’s mobile number and identification had been compromised, demanding Rs 5 lakh as a settlement fee to resolve the fictitious case against them.

The retired couple, both former employees of the Maharashtra Secretariat, felt pressured and paid the amount. However, the harassment did not cease after the initial payment. The fraudsters continued to threaten them, extracting further sums until their total losses were estimated to exceed Rs 50 lakh.

Initially, the deaths were investigated as a potential murder case. However, the investigation took a significant turn after police recovered the couple’s suicide note and examined their mobile phone records. It later emerged that the couple, who had no children or immediate family, had not confided in anyone about the ongoing threats and financial extortion they had suffered.

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities having accessed the couple’s bank accounts to calculate the total amount extorted. “We are still evaluating the total sum involved in this extortion case. This is a serious matter, and a detailed investigation is underway,” remarked a senior police official from Nandgad.

The tragic circumstances surrounding the couple’s deaths have drawn attention to the increasing prevalence of cybercrime and its devastating impact on vulnerable individuals. As investigations continue, police aim to track down the scammers responsible for this heartbreaking incident. The community is left in shock over the loss, mourning not only the couple’s lives but also highlighting the urgent need for greater awareness and protection against cyber fraud.

In a significant breakthrough in anti-Maoist efforts, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday lauded security forces for a major operation in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, where 16 Maoists were killed and a large cache of automatic weapons seized.

Describing the operation as one of the biggest in Sukma’s history, Shah emphasized that the central government remains firmly committed to ending Maoist violence by March 31, 2026.

“Another strike on Naxalism! Our security agencies have neutralised 16 Naxalites and recovered a massive cache of automatic weapons in an operation in Sukma,” Shah wrote on X. He further appealed to those still involved in Maoist activities to give up violence, stating, “Weapons and violence cannot bring change; only peace and development can.”

Joint anti-Maoist operation marks major success

The encounter involved coordinated action by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), based on specific intelligence inputs. Officials said the joint team launched the operation on March 28 in the Kerlapal area of Sukma, leading to an exchange of fire that continued into Saturday morning.

Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan confirmed the recovery of the bodies of 16 Maoists and the seizure of advanced weapons including AK-47s, Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), and INSAS rifles. He added that two security personnel were injured during the operation and are receiving medical care.

The identities of the slain Maoists are yet to be established, and search operations are underway across the surrounding forest areas.

Maoist violence on decline, says Shah

Citing Parliament data, Shah recently highlighted a sharp decline in Maoist violence over the last decade. Between 2004 and 2014, there were 16,463 violent incidents, which fell by 53% in the subsequent ten years.

The number of security personnel martyred dropped from 1,851 to 509—a 73% decline—while civilian casualties reduced by 70%, from 4,766 to 1,495.

Highlighting development in Maoist-affected regions, Shah said 11,503 km of highways and 20,000 km of rural roads have been constructed since 2014. Furthermore, over 4,800 mobile towers have been installed in two phases, with another 4,000 underway, aiming to ensure full mobile connectivity by December 1.

Sukma, situated in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, has long been a hotbed of Maoist activity. However, security forces’ intensified operations and government-led development initiatives are steadily reclaiming ground from insurgents.

As the new financial year begins on April 1, 2025, several key financial and regulatory changes will come into effect that will impact salaried individuals, pensioners, UPI users, and businesses alike.

Revised income tax slabs bring relief to middle-income earners

Under the new tax regime announced in the Union Budget, individuals earning up to ₹12 lakh annually will be exempt from paying income tax. The revised slab also includes a standard deduction of ₹75,000, effectively exempting those with an annual salary up to ₹12.75 lakh from taxes.

Here is the new tax structure:

• Up to Rs 4 lakh – No tax
• Rs 4 lakh to Rs 8 lakh – 5%
• Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh – 10%
• Rs 12 lakh to Rs 16 lakh – 15%
• Rs 16 lakh to Rs 20 lakh – 20%
• Rs 20 lakh to Rs 24 lakh – 25%
• Above Rs 24 lakh – 30%
  

Unified Pension Scheme promises post-retirement stability for government staff

The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), launched in August 2024, will come into force from April 1. The scheme is aimed at benefiting around 23 lakh central government employees. Those who have served for 25 years or more will be entitled to a pension equal to 50% of their average basic salary over the last 12 months, offering a more secure retirement.

UPI security tightened with inactive number purge

To enhance digital payment security, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued guidelines for banks and UPI service providers to phase out inactive mobile numbers linked with UPI.

From April 1, UPI platforms are mandated to use the Mobile Number Revocation List (MNRL) and Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) to regularly update user data—at least once a week. Users with inactive numbers are advised to update their mobile details with their banks to prevent loss of UPI access or potential misuse.

GST filing and authentication norms become stricter

In the GST domain, multi-factor authentication (MFA) will become mandatory for users logging into the GST portal, improving data security. Further updates include:

• E-Way Bills (EWB) will be restricted to documents not older than 180 days.
• GSTR-7 filings for Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) must now be filed in sequence with no skipping of months.
  Promoters and directors will be required to visit a GST Suvidha Kendra for biometric verification.

These changes are part of broader efforts to streamline compliance and secure financial systems as the country enters the new fiscal year.