Trafficked Telugu youngsters revolt in Cambodia days after Vizag police busts human trafficking racket

VISAKHAPATNAM: Days after the Vizag city police busted a human trafficking racket being operated by some Indian agents from Cambodia, hundreds of youngsters from Vizag other parts Andhra Pradesh and India who were struck in Cambodia and were forced to operate cyber-frauds schemes, revolted against their handlers in Cambodia. The protest had led to the arrest of the youngsters in the foreign country.

Vizag city police chief Dr A Ravi Shankar said that the trafficked Indians caused large scale riots in Jinbei and Compound, Sihanoukvile in Cambodia, which is allegedly a hub for cyber-crime.

“Trafficked youngsters from Cambodia called up Vizag city police WhatsApp numbers and sent videos. Yesterday (Monday), around 300 Indians revolted on a large scale against their handlers in Cambodia,” said Ravi Shankar.

It may be recalled that Vizag city police have unearthed a human trafficking racket being operated by some Indian agents from Cambodia and arrested three local agents_ Chukka Rajesh, Sabbavarapu Kondalarao and Mannena Gnaneshwar from Vizag city. The preliminary investigation has revealed that the gang has lured the gullible unemployed youngsters by promising to provide data entry operator jobs in Cambodia but were being forced there to commit cybercrimes in India.

These gullible youth are trained to handle specialized cybercrimes such as FedEx Scams, Stock Market Frauds, task game frauds, and various other types of cyber frauds on Indian citizens.

Speaking to TOI, Inspector of cybercrimes police station, Vizag, K Bhavani Prasad said “hundreds of youngsters from Vizag city and other parts of Andhra Pradesh have fallen prey to the agents and are stuck in Cambodia. The number of victims from Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal could go up to 5,000,”, he added.

In a bold move, the victims from Vizag and other parts of the country staged a walkout from their Cambodian offices and openly protested the fraudulent companies that had ensnared them. The protesters demanded the return of their passports, which had been confiscated by their employers, to facilitate their safe passage back to India. The youngsters, determined to break free from the clutches of the scam, stood united in their cause, refusing to continue participating in the illegal activities they had been forced into, added Bhavani Prasad.

Once in Cambodia, the youths would be held captive, tortured and compelled by Chinese handlers to execute scams such as task game fraud, stock market fraud and others, police said.

The police chief said that they have contacted the Bureau of Immigration and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and related departments to repatriate the youth safely as most of them have been lodged in a jail after Monday's 'revolt. Seven special teams have been formed to unearth the whole gamut of human trafficking into cyber crime headed by Dr Fakkeerappa Kaginelli Joint Commissioner of Police, Visakhapatnam city and assisted by K. Bhavani Prasad.


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