Agartala, August 11, 2025: A teacher in Belonia has fallen victim to a sophisticated online fraud, losing a total of Rs 56,176 from her bank account in two separate transactions. The incident has raised fresh concerns over rising cybercrime in the state.

According to the complaint, Deepti Malla, a teacher at Belonia BKI Institution was appointed as the Booth Level Officer (BLO) for booth number 21 of Belonia assembly constituency on August 5. However, her BLO appointment had not yet been linked to her mobile number. On August 10, she received a phone call from an unknown number, during which the caller instructed her to download a mobile application.

Following the caller’s directions, Malla submitted her name, “35/21” reference and a document written in capital letters online. Believing it to be an official requirement, she complied. Shortly after, she found that Rs 56,176 had been withdrawn from her bank account in two installments.

“I was shocked when I received the transaction alert on my phone. I immediately contacted my bank, the cybercrime cell, and the Belonia police station, and lodged a formal complaint,” Malla told reporters.

Expressing deep concern, she urged the authorities to take stringent measures. “The police administration, especially the cybercrime department, must ensure that no one else falls prey to such fraud. My case should serve as a warning and a reason for stronger preventive action,” she said.

Police have registered the case and initiated an investigation, while the cybercrime unit is tracing the source of the fraudulent call and the app used in the scam.