Udupi: A 21-year-old man was arrested in connection with a case involving the alleged harassment and blackmail of a 20-year-old student at Manipal, who allegedly died by suicide in Nov, last year.
Paula was found dead in a room near Coin Circle, Manipal, between 11.45pm on Nov 7 and 8.40am on Nov 8, 2025, according to the complaint. Manipal police had initially registered an unnatural death report under Section 194 of the BNSS and subsequently closed the case after preparing a final report. Based on the complaint, Manipal police registered a case under Section 308(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police arrested Bhingare on Sept 9.
The complainant alleged that Bhingare might have subjected Paula to persistent harassment, coercion or blackmail, potentially contributing to her death. Following directions from Manipal police inspector Mahesh Prasad, PSI Thimmesh B N took up the investigation.
He was produced before the jurisdictional court and remanded in judicial custody.
The case was registered following a complaint filed before the court by Leslie Joseph Mathew, 60, a resident of Assam and father of the deceased student, Paula Leslie Warjri. The iPad, iPhone, diary and other digital records of the girl, seized during the investigation, were later handed over to her father. the complainant allegedly found records of conversations and exchanges with a person identified as Sai Bhingare alias Sai Patil through Snapchat While examining the devices and diary.