Bengaluru, March 26: In a heart-wrenching incident in Karnataka's Chitradurga, the perils of online cricket betting have culminated in a family tragedy. Darshan Babu, an assistant engineer with the state's minor irrigation department, accrued debts of over Rs 1 crore due to his betting habits, leading to relentless creditor harassment and the subsequent suicide of his wife, Ranjitha, on March 18.

According to the reports, Darshan worked as an assistant engineer in the Minor Irrigation Department at Hosadurga and was ensnared in IPL betting from 2021 to 2023. This took a major toll on the couple's finances. He had borrowed over Rs 1.5 crore to place bets after his luck ran out and he lost all his money. While he returned Rs 1 crore, cops say he still has a loan of Rs 84 lakh. Hyderabad Shocker: Engineering Student Dies by Suicide After Losing Money in Online Betting Game, FIR Registered. 

The couple, married since 2020, faced increasing threats and confrontations from moneylenders, escalating the stress that ultimately drove Ranjitha to take her own life at the age of 24. A suicide note left behind detailed the extent of the harassment.

Chitradurga police have charged 13 individuals with abetment to suicide under IPC 306, with three arrests made so far. The investigation revealed that Babu borrowed 84 lakh rupees between 2021-2023, coinciding with the IPL seasons. Hyderabad Shocker: Youth Dies by Suicide After Suffering Huge Losses in Cricket Betting, Probe Underway. 

This incident follows the Bengaluru Police Cyber Crime Unit's November 2023 crackdown on an interstate cricket betting syndicate, highlighting the ongoing battle against cyber fraud and illegal betting rackets.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 27, 2024 06:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).