Dakshina Kannada: 21-yr-old woman dies of electrocution while crossing waterlogged trench

Mangaluru, July 7: Two working professionals from Mangaluru have lost more than ₹10 lakh in separate incidents of online job fraud, raising alarm over the growing trend of cybercrime exploiting employment seekers.

Case 1: Part-Time Job Scam on WhatsApp & Telegram

A woman professional lost ₹6.5 lakh after falling for a so-called part-time work-from-home job. According to her complaint, she received a WhatsApp message on June 25 from someone claiming to be an HR assistant from the NSE Exchange. The job promised earnings between ₹5,000 and ₹20,000.

She was asked to join via a link and instructed to download the Telegram app, where further communication and tasks were assigned. After completing 30 initial tasks, she received small payments of ₹180 and ₹200 to gain her trust.

However, soon she was assigned "trade tasks" and told to deposit ₹800 to a bank account. Over the next three days (June 26–28), she was made to transfer larger amounts to multiple accounts via UPI and net banking. When no payments were refunded, she realized it was a scam and lodged a complaint with Mangaluru Rural Police.

Case 2: Fake International Hospital Job Offer

In another incident, a medical professional lost ₹4.2 lakh to fraudsters posing as recruiters for NMC Hospital in Dubai. The complainant received a call on June 6 from a woman named Sangeetha, followed by a detailed job offer via email.

A man named Vinay Singh then contacted the complainant and asked for multiple payments — ₹5,499 for registration, ₹25,960 for profile verification, and over ₹82,000 for a DHA licence. Over the next few days, further payments totaling several lakhs were demanded for NOC and other formalities.

Suspicion arose when the fraudsters asked for an additional ₹2.6 lakh. After consulting friends, the complainant discovered the job offer was fake and reported the fraud to Kankanady Town Police Station.

Authorities Urge Caution

Police have urged the public, especially job seekers, to be extremely cautious while responding to unsolicited job offers online, particularly those demanding advance payments or using unofficial platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram for communication.

Mangaluru, July 6: In a chilling reminder of how fear and impersonation can override rationality, a Mangaluru woman was allegedly defrauded of a staggering ₹3.16 crore by cybercriminals posing as senior law enforcement officials and a public prosecutor.

This incident underscores the urgent need for public awareness about increasingly sophisticated impersonation scams, where fraudsters exploit legal jargon and fear tactics to drain victims financially.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN Crime Police Station, the ordeal began on June 5 when the woman received a call from an individual claiming to be Inspector Anu Sharma from the National Cyber Response Portal (NCRP). The caller informed her that a SIM card was allegedly purchased in her husband’s name and was being used for sending fraudulent messages and suspicious links.

The call was transferred multiple times — first to a so-called sub-inspector Mohan Kumar from ‘Sahar Police Station’ in Mumbai, who gathered personal details, and then to someone identifying himself as Public Prosecutor Deepak Venkata Ramana. The supposed prosecutor convinced the woman that her and her husband’s bank accounts were under scrutiny and needed to be “verified” through urgent fund transfers.

The complainant was threatened to maintain complete secrecy and promised that all transferred amounts would be refunded once the verification process was complete. Gripped by fear and manipulated through psychological pressure, she allegedly made a series of RTGS transfers between June 10 and June 27, totaling ₹3,16,52,142, into multiple bank accounts provided by the fraudsters.

Once the funds were drained, the fraudsters cut all communication and blocked the victim’s number. Only after she confided in her children did she realise that she had been conned.

Police have registered a case and an investigation is underway.

Why this matters:

This case highlights a disturbing trend in digital fraud, where scammers combine technology with fearmongering and impersonation to bypass even the most cautious minds. Authorities urge the public to be extremely wary of unsolicited calls claiming to be from police, banks, or legal institutions — especially when money is demanded under the guise of investigation or legal procedure.

Vadodara, July 9: A tragic bridge collapse on Tuesday morning over the Mahisagar river has claimed several lives, raising serious questions about the Gujarat government’s infrastructure oversight and preparedness.

The Gambhira bridge, linking Vadodara and Anand districts, suddenly gave way around 7 a.m., plunging vehicles into the river below. According to eyewitnesses, the bridge span crumbled without warning, sending two trucks, a pick-up van, a car, and multiple motorcycles into the water.

Narendra Mali, a local fisherman who witnessed the collapse, recounted the horrifying moment: “We heard a loud noise and looked up. Vehicles were falling like toys. We immediately rowed towards the scene to rescue people.” Despite rescue efforts by locals and disaster teams, most passengers couldn’t be saved.

Rescue operations led by police and disaster response teams are ongoing. Among the nine deceased, six have been identified so far. The identities of the remaining victims are yet to be confirmed.

A Disaster Long in the Making

Built in 1985, the Gambhira bridge was over four decades old and in a visibly dilapidated state. Locals had repeatedly warned that the bridge shook under the weight of vehicles, yet it remained open to traffic. A proposal for constructing a new bridge was already approved by the government following a recommendation by local BJP MLA Chaitanyasinh Zala, but no urgent steps were taken to close the old one.

The tragic incident has sparked outrage, with residents and opposition leaders asking why traffic was not stopped until the new structure was completed. “This was a preventable tragedy,” said a former municipal engineer who had inspected the area earlier this year.

Political Reactions and Compensation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow, calling the loss of lives “deeply saddening.” He announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of each deceased victim and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also expressed condolences and pledged Rs 4 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured, along with free medical treatment. “We stand with the families in this time of grief,” he said.

Vadodara Collector Anil Dhamelia confirmed that rescue remains the top priority. “We’re focused on saving lives and recovering vehicles. Traffic has been diverted,” he stated.

Opposition Slams ‘Gujarat Model’

The Opposition Congress Party has hit out at the state government, calling the incident a “symbol of infrastructure failure under the so-called Gujarat Model.” Senior Congress leader Amit Chavda said, “We raised this issue multiple times. The bridge was unsafe, but no action was taken. This negligence has cost lives.”

Congress alleged deep-rooted corruption in infrastructure planning and execution, claiming that many such aging bridges across Gujarat have been left unattended.

Voices from the Ground

For the locals near the Mahisagar, the collapse has left not just trauma but a bitter question: how many lives must be lost before crumbling infrastructure is taken seriously?

As rescue teams continue searching for survivors and victims, the state now faces tough scrutiny — and grieving families demand accountability.