Bhatkal woman dies by suicide after harassment by Instagram friend

Bhatkal, Oct 26 (IANS): A young woman in Karnataka has committed suicide after she was allegedly harassed by a person she befriended on social media platform Instagram, police said on Thursday.

The victim has been identified as 24-year-old Nethra Gowali, a resident of Hadavalli village near Bhatkal town in Uttara Kannada district.

The woman's father had lodged a complaint against her Instagram friend Govardhana Moger and urged legal action against him.

According to the police, the accused was known to the victim for a year but he started forcing her to fall in love with him.

When she refused his advances, he started harassing her to return all the money he had spent on her.

The accused had also blackmailed her that he would make her personal photos viral on social media, the police said, adding that she took the drastic step on Wednesday after being unable to bear the harassment.

The Bhatkal rural police have registered the case and taken up the investigation.