Karnataka: Wife ends life over 'threats' by lenders as husband loses Rs 1.5 crore via cricket betting

Ranjita V, a 24-year-old homemaker, tragically ended her life in Hosadurga, Chitradurga, due to mounting debts stemming from her husband's staggering losses of Rs 1.3 crore in online cricket betting. Allegations of harassment from lenders led to her suicide, with her family claiming coercion into gambling. Authorities have filed a case of abetment to suicide against 13 suspects.

A young wife succumbed to the pressures of mounting debts and harassment from lenders after her husband reportedly lost a staggering Rs 1.3 crore in online cricket betting. Ranjita V, aged 24 and a homemaker, tragically ended her life in Hosadurga, Chitradurga, leaving behind a grieving family and a two-year-old son.

The distressing incident unfolded on March 19 when Ranjita was found deceased in her bedroom. Her father, Venkatesh M, complained about 13 individuals whom he alleges had lent money to his son-in-law, Darshan Balu. It's reported that Ranjita left behind a suicide note detailing the torment she and her husband faced due to relentless harassment by the moneylenders.

The lenders, according to Venkatesh, resorted to threats and intimidation tactics, demanding immediate repayment of the substantial debt Darshan had accrued through online cricket betting. Darshan, an assistant engineer with the state minor irrigation department, had initially borrowed money from these lenders to fund his gambling ventures, reported TOI.

Despite efforts to repay a significant portion of the debt, Darshan still owed around Rs 54 lakh, a burden too heavy to bear. In his complaint, Venkatesh vehemently defended his son-in-law's innocence, asserting that Darshan was coerced into the world of cricket betting by promises of easy wealth.

The suspects allegedly enticed Darshan with financing for his betting activities, using blank cheques as collateral. However, Darshan's luck took a devastating turn as he lost all his investments in online cricket betting between 2021 and 2023. The lenders, far from sympathetic, demanded immediate repayment, further exacerbating the family's distress.

In response to Venkatesh's complaint, authorities have filed a case of abetment to suicide under IPC 306 against the 13 suspects. Three individuals, namely Shivu, Girish, and Venkatesh, have been apprehended, while the rest remain at large, their whereabouts unknown.