Thiruvankulam, Ernakulam: A retired BSNL employee, who reportedly lost ₹3 crore in a fraudulent online trading app, was found dead on a railway track on Monday morning.

Body of Rajan Namboothiri, 65, was found near the Kambivelikkakam area of Thiruvankulam. He had been living in Eroor with his daughter and son-in-law for the past one and a half years.

Relatives said Namboothiri suffered severe mental distress after losing his life savings in the scam last year. As a result, suicide angle is suspected. 

How the scam unfolded

Namboothiri was defrauded through a fake app claiming to facilitate US stock market trades. The app repeatedly demanded payments, promising returns. Within three weeks, he lost ₹3 crore, transferred to multiple accounts. On realising he had been cheated, he filed a complaint with the Kottayam cyber police. Officials managed to freeze ₹13.5 lakh linked to the case and assured that the amount would be returned following procedural formalities next week.

Police recovered Namboothiri’s body amid the ongoing investigation. Following post-mortem examinations, it was released to his family for last rites.

Suicide is never a solution. Those experiencing distressing thoughts can contact the Disha helpline at 1056 or 0471-2552056 (toll-free) for support.