Masked robbers break into PWD contractor’s house near M'luru; tie up residents, steal money, jewelry
Mangaluru: A group of nine people broke into and burgled a farmhouse owned by PWD contractor Padmanabha Kotian at Ulaibettu on the outskirts of Mangaluru city on Friday night, after assaulting Kotian and his family members.
Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal has said that the robbers who were under masks entered the farmhouse and, threatening Kotian with a knife, demanded money from him. The robbers ransacked the house after tying up Kotian and his family members using bed-sheets, with Kotian’s hand being injured in the scuffle, officer added.
The robbers stole money and jewelry that was in the farmhouse. They also took Kotian’s vehicle that had been parked in the front yard, but left it at a short distance away from the house before escaping from the place, said the Commissioner.
A case has been registered at the Mangalore Rural Police Station and the officers are investigating to get further information about the group that broke into the contractor’s farmhouse, the senior officer has said.
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Cybercriminals used over 65,000 mule accounts in Karnataka in 2024: Report
Bengaluru: Cybercriminals used more than 65,000 mule bank accounts from Karnataka in 2024 to funnel illicit funds, according to data from the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), an agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The data, which was cited by Deccan Herald on Monday, indicates that these accounts form only the first layer of fraudster accounts, and the actual numbers may be far higher. The first layer refers to the initial accounts that victims are tricked into transferring their money to, at the behest of cyber fraudsters.
Mule accounts play a crucial role in the operation of cybercrimes by acting as intermediaries between the victim’s bank account and the scammer’s account. These accounts are often created, rented, or purchased by cybercrooks.
Karnataka ranked fifth among Indian states for the number of first-layer mule accounts. It trailed behind Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, the report added.
Investigators have pointed to negligence by banks as one of the primary reasons behind the proliferation of mule accounts. Despite technological advancements, many banks lack robust monitoring systems to track suspicious accounts and transactions effectively.
"Banks have the responsibility of monitoring suspicious accounts and transactions, but they are often compromised. There is no proper existing system for monitoring such things in many banks, despite technological advancements," DH quoted an Assistant Commissioner of Police-rank investigator as saying.
Furthermore, there are growing concerns about the potential leakage of customer data by bank employees. The officer added the bank representatives not only give out contact information of people but also give details of gullible individuals holding bank accounts with no activity.
These accounts become prime targets for fraudsters, who approach the account holders to buy or rent them for use in scams.
