Hyderabad: A distress call from two Telangana men trapped near Tar Le town in Myanmar has exposed what could be an alleged human trafficking and cyber scam network, with the duo claiming that 300 to 400 Indians, including around 30 women, are being reportedly held in exploitative conditions after being lured abroad with false promises of employment.Acting on their plea, the Telangana govt has sought the intervention of the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and the Indian embassy in Myanmar to trace, rescue and repatriate the two men, who are from Mancherial and Nirmal districts.The two men said that they were recruited for jobs in Thailand but were later taken across the border into Myanmar and forced to work for cyber fraud syndicates. According to them, workers were made to target tourists through social media, lure them with promises of escorts and extort money after they arrived.They further alleged that the workers were confined to a large hall-like facility in a remote location and forced to work up to 18 hours a day. The women, they alleged, were subjected to even worse conditions and were being sexually exploited.“One of the men got in touch with us and shared the plight of about 300 youngsters who are stranded in Myanmar,” Bhargavi Naddunuri, liaison officer at CM Pravasi Prajavani, told TOI. She said he had contacted the platform nearly two weeks ago seeking help to return home.“The duo explained that hundreds of people, including many from the Telugu states, are being exploited,” she added.In a letter to the Indian embassy in Myanmar and the MEA, Telangana chief secretary urged authorities to take immediate steps to locate the duo and facilitate their safe return to the state.“They both travelled to Thailand for employment but are now reportedly stranded in Myanmar. Their phones have been taken away, and they are allowed to make calls for only about one hour each day,” the letter said.Speaking to TOI, Ch Madhu, a relative of one of the victims, said both of them had been recruited for what were presented as data entry jobs.“My brother-in-law went to Thailand about a month ago. Initially, they were kept in a hotel for a couple of days and then shifted to their workplace. There, they were given social media accounts and instructed to interact with people. Initially, they were made to work for 8-10 hours a day, but after a few days the working hours increased to nearly 18 hours a day,” Madhu said.He alleged that the workers were being used to lure people from their home states by speaking in their mother tongue and drawn into an organised fraud operation.According to him, some workers who attempted to escape were caught, brought back and allegedly tortured in front of others as a warning.“The syndicates are demanding Rs 10 lakh per person to allow them to leave Myanmar. The victims, about 400, are from across the country,” Madhu said, adding that the Indian embassy had not yet responded to their request.
