Official data reveals that 29,466 Indians who traveled to Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam on visiting visas between January 2022 and May 2024 did not return. Notably, more than half (17,115) of these people are between the ages of 20 and 39, with men accounting for the vast majority (21,182).
According to data published by the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Punjab, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu account for more than one-third of those missing persons. Thailand alone accounts for more than 69 percent of all cases, with 20,450 people reported missing.
The development comes against the backdrop of increasing reports of Indians being lured into Southeast Asia by the promise of high-paying jobs, only to be trapped in what has been described as ‘cyber slavery’. Victims are reportedly coerced into conducting cyber fraud and other illegal activities, often under the threat of violence.
In response, the Centre has established a high-level inter-ministerial task force to investigate and address the issue. This panel, formed in May, has directed all states and union territories (UTs) to conduct thorough ground-level verification and gather details on these missing individuals. The task force has also urged the immigration department to enhance mechanisms to identify potential victims before they leave the country.
The recently released state-wise data on missing persons across India sheds light on the alarming scale of the issue. Major states like Punjab, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu are highlighted, but other significant figures come from:
- Uttar Pradesh: 2,946
- Kerala: 2,659
- Delhi: 2,140
- Gujarat: 2,068
- Haryana: 1,928
Additional data reveals hundreds of cases from Karnataka, Telangana, and Rajasthan, with smaller yet concerning numbers from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar.
Notably, the majority of missing individuals departed via:
- Delhi airport: 12,493
- Mumbai airport: 4,699
- Kolkata airport: 2,395
- Kochi airport: 2,296
This data highlights the need for further investigation and preventive measures across major airports and states.
Growing Concern About ‘Cyber Slavery’
Concerns about the situation originally surfaced earlier this year, when it was revealed that over 5,000 Indians were believed to be detained in Cambodia, compelled to commit cybercrimes under duress. These individuals are frequently transferred abroad with false promises of data entry work, only to be exploited in unlawful operations.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), a branch of the MHA, has reported a major increase in cybercrime originating in Southeast Asia. In fact, this region is thought to be responsible for 45 percent of cybercrimes against Indian citizens. Since January 2023, approximately 100,000 cyber complaints have been filed through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Sources told The Indian Express that the victims are employed by scamming companies, where they are required to create fake social media profiles, often using images of women, to lure unsuspecting individuals into fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. Once the target invests, they are either blocked or ‘ghosted’, leaving them defrauded.
Task Force Identifies Key Gaps
The inter-ministerial panel, which includes representatives from the Financial Intelligence Unit, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and senior officials from states and UTs (MeitY), has identified several gaps in India’s banking, immigration, and telecom systems that have contributed to the problem. The Bureau of Immigration has been tasked with creating mechanisms to flag potential victims, while the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been directed to introduce preventive measures to halt the outflow of individuals at risk of being exploited.
In a meeting earlier this month, data compiled by the Bureau of Immigration was shared with senior officials from various government departments, as well as security agencies like the National Investigation Agency and Central Bureau of Investigation. The Centre is pushing for robust measures to ensure that similar incidents are prevented in the future.
Victims Speak Out
Some of the individuals who have managed to escape have shared their harrowing experiences. Speaking to The Indian Express, several men who were rescued described being lured with promises of lucrative jobs abroad. Once they reached Cambodia, Thailand, or Vietnam, their passports were confiscated, and they were forced to carry out online frauds.
“We were told we would be working in data entry, but we were trapped in scamming operations,” said one survivor. “They took our passports and forced us to scam people into investing in fake cryptocurrency platforms. If we didn’t comply, we were threatened or beaten.”
The plight of these victims has drawn attention to the growing problem of human trafficking and cybercrime, with many calling for increased efforts to combat the root causes and provide support for those affected.
As investigations continue, authorities are urging caution among those seeking employment opportunities abroad. The MHA has also called for greater cooperation between India and its Southeast Asian counterparts to address this transnational crime network.
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Source: Business Standard
