Hyderabad: A group of men from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, trapped in a cybercrime den in Myanmar near the Thailand border, have sent a desperate plea for rescue. They are allegedly being held by Chinese gangs and forced into online scams, they managed to share their live location, voice messages, and videos with their families before losing communication.
At least 150 Indians including 15 from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are reportedly being confined and coerced into fraudulent activities. One of the victims, Kokkirala Madhukar Reddy from Rangapeta village in Karimnagar, reached out to his family before Wi-Fi and mobile access were taken away.
In a final voice message, Madhukar revealed, “Three of us from Telangana are here. Two more were brought in, but we don’t know where they are. There are about 40 of us outside, but many more are locked inside. They are cutting off Wi-Fi, seizing phones, and monitoring us. They know we are trying to contact Indian authorities.”
His last known location placed him in a heavily guarded compound near Ingyin Myaing, Myanmar.
Duped by a fake job, now a prisoner in Myanmar
An MBA graduate, Madhukar had been working in Dubai since 2015 but returned to India earlier this year. Seeking opportunities, he responded to an online job offer for a data entry position in Bangkok with a promised salary of Rs 1.2 lakh per month.
However, after arriving on a visit visa, he was trafficked across the Myanmar border and forced into cybercrime operations.
His father, Kokkirala Lakshma Reddy, a farmer, said, “Madhukar told us that around 10 Telugu-speaking men are in the camp, along with at least 150 Indians, including people from Bihar and Kerala. His passport was seized, and now they are demanding Rs 4 lakh for his release. He is being beaten and harassed.”
Families seek Government help
Desperate for intervention, the families have turned to the Indian government for help. They have met with Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay, urging immediate diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the trapped victims.
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