Then Cambodia, now Myanmar: Telangana men trapped in ‘cyber slavery’ plead for rescue
Hyderabad: A group of men hailing from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh trapped in a cybercrime near the Thailand-Myanmar border, have sent an urgent plea for help. They are reportedly held captive by Chinese gangs and are forced to participate in online scams.
Despite strict surveillance, the stranded group managed to send their live location, voice messages, and videos to their families before their communication was cut off by their captors.
The exact number of men trapped in the camp remains unclear, but reports suggest, at least 150 Indians, including 15 from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, are stranded in Myanmar and are forced to carry out illegal cyber activities.
Prior to communication being cut off, Kokkirala Madhukar Reddy, one of the victims and a native of Rangapeta village in Karimnagar, managed to establish contact with his family and communicated their problems through a voice note.
“There are three of us from Telangana here. Two others were also brought in, but we don’t know where they are. We are with around 40 others outside, but many more are locked inside. They are cutting off Wi-Fi, seizing phones, and watching us. They know we are trying to contact Indian authorities,” Madhukar shared in his voice message.
As per his communication and live location, it is clear that they are confined in a heavily guarded compound near Ingyin Myaing in Myanmar.
According to reports, Madhukar worked in Dubai since 2015 and returned to India earlier this year. While searching for jobs, he came across an online job offer for a data entry position in Bangkok. He applied for it as the recruiters offered a monthly salary of Rs. 1.2 lakh.
Responding to the job offer, he visited Bangkok on a visit visa. However, the employer’s team took him to a place across Thailand-Myanmar border and forced him into cybercrime operations.
Telangana & Andhra men stranded in Myanmar cybercrime camp, plead for rescue
Hyderabad: A group of men hailing from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh trapped in a cybercrime near the Thailand-Myanmar border, have sent an urgent plea for help. They are reportedly held captive by… pic.twitter.com/K5pYGAmgBo
— Hyderabad Mail (@Hyderabad_Mail) February 18, 2025
Madhukar’s father Kokkirala Lakshma Reddy said his son told him there were at least 150 Indians including 10 more Telugu-speaking men in the heavily-guarded compound. Among them, some are from states like Bihar and Kerala.
“They took his passport and are now demanding Rs. 4 lakh for his release. They are beating and harassing him,” Lakshma Reddy said.
The families of the stranded Telugu men met with Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar and requested him to raise the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs to rescue the trapped victims and facilitate their quick return to India.
