Bengaluru: Ranjitha, a 23-year-old woman from Chitradurga in Karnataka, died by suicide on March 18 after what the police claimed to be incessant harassment from people who lent money to her husband Darshan Babu.
Babu, an engineer employed in the Karnataka Minor Irrigation Department at Hosadurga, had been deeply involved in cricket betting, particularly in Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, since 2021.
Darshan’s penchant for betting often led him to borrow substantial sums of money, either to cover losses or to continue betting when funds were low. Reports suggest that his accumulated debt exceeded Rs 1 crore, a financial burden that took a heavy toll on the couple’s stability.
Despite managing to repay a portion of the debt, Darshan still found himself owing around Rs 84 lakh to the creditors. Ranjitha, who married Darshan in 2020, became aware of his betting activities in 2021, according to her father Venkatesh.
In a complaint filed by Venkatesh, he highlighted his daughter’s extreme distress caused by relentless harassment from moneylenders, which ultimately drove her to die by suicide. Venkatesh also identified 13 people whom he alleged had lent money to Darshan.
Venkatesh asserted that Darshan was enticed into the world of betting with promises of quick wealth. Although initially hesitant, Darshan was coerced by the suspects who assured him of financial backing for his betting ventures in exchange for blank cheques as security.
During their investigation, Karnataka authorities discovered a suicide note left by Ranjitha, in which she outlined the relentless harassment endured by the couple. Darshan and Ranjitha leave behind a two-year-old son.
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