TDP chief and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has demanded that the state government should focus on human trafficking, where large numbers of youth from the state are being pushed into inhuman conditions on the plea of jobs in Cambodia.
He wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary of the state government asking him to make arrangements to bring back the hundreds of Telugu youth trapped in Cambodia. He deplored that fake agencies have cheated the youth by promising employment opportunities.
This massive human trafficking of AP youth was exposed in NIA investigation, but the state government remained silent without taking any steps to help the affected youth. He said that the affected youth from Cambodia, Laos and other places are reaching their destinations after facing many difficulties.
He appealed to the central government to make arrangements to bring the victims back to the state as soon as possible. In this regard, Chandrababu also requested the External Affairs Minister Jai Shankar to help bring the Telugus home.
TDP chief expressed concern that Andhra Pradesh has become a center for human trafficking. He expressed his anger that the youth of the state were illegally moved to Cambodia in the name of jobs and dragged into the cybercrime trap.
He demanded strict action against the fake agents who are cheating the youth and ruining their lives. While in Cambodia, the agents tricked the unemployed in the name of data entry jobs. Rs.1.5 lakh was collected from each person. Later they were handed over to the agents of the Chinese and Cambodian companies.
Victims were also trained on how to commit cyber crimes targeting Indians. Anyone who refused or resisted was tortured. The issue of human trafficking came to light after a complaint filed by a victim. Some of them have been working in Cambodia for a year and some for six months.
It is estimated that 5,000 people are caught in the net of Chinese agents across the country. So far 150 people from the state have been identified. Cyber fraud targets mostly those who are online. Agents used to pressure the youths to make Telugu language their target.
Someone who could not commit crimes is being locked in dark rooms. They were severely tortured without food. Hit with baseball bats. Those who did not perform well and did not reach the target were given only one meal. Those who cheated more people were given two meals a day.