25 Kannadigas among 125 Indians rescued from Myanmar scam centres

BENGALURU: What began as a promise of high-paying jobs ended in months of fear and captivity for 125 Indians, including 25 from Karnataka, who were rescued from Myanmars notorious scam centres and brought back to Delhi in two batches on Wednesday night from Mae Sot, Thailand. They were lured abroad with promises of high-paying jobs but instead found themselves held captive, threatened at gunpoint, and forced to engage in online fraud operations. After landing in New Delhi, the returnees were questioned by immigration and central agencies before being handed over to their respective state representatives on Thursday morning. Karnataka officials received the 25 youths and shifted them to Karnataka Bhavan, where arrangements were made for food, temporary stay, and onward travel. The state government sanctioned Rajdhani train tickets for their return to Bengaluru, while around 13 chose to fly home at their own expense. As part of the Government of Indias ongoing efforts to safely bring back Indians stuck in trafficking and scam centres in Southeast Asia, the Indian Embassy in Bangkok and the Consulate in Chiang Mai worked closely with various agencies of the Thai government and the authorities of Thailands Tak Province. Several of the youths said they were contacted through social media with attractive job offers, flown to Bangkok by the recruiters themselves and transported by road across the border to Myanmar. If we asked questions, they pointed guns at us. We were forced to cheat people online. If we refused, they harassed us, said one of the Kannadiga returnees, requesting anonymity. Indian authorities have reiterated warnings to job-seekers, urging them to verify foreign employers and legitimacy of recruiting agents before accepting overseas offers. Officials also stressed that visa-free entry to Thailand is strictly for tourism or short business visits and must not be misused to seek employment, as such misuse often exposes travellers to trafficking networks. Relieved to be back home, the rescued youths appealed to others not to fall prey to similar scams. Officials said many of the youths were first contacted through Facebook with offers of data-entry jobs, earning around Rs 80,000 per month. Agents allegedly booked their tickets from various Indian cities to Bangkok, where on arrival they were picked up and taken by road to Myanmar. Once across the border, they were held captive and forced into different kinds of work under harsh conditions. According to the official, some were made to work for long hours, fined for delays, and treated almost like slaves. He said the trafficking pattern has been ongoing since March, with several rescue flights operated earlier.