TN govt issues advisory to youth seeking jobs overseas
The advisory was issued after 83 Tamil youths were rescued from Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar, where they were taken under pretext of being given jobs in IT sector, and were engaged in illegal online activities
Citing reports of Indian nationals being lured by unregistered agents with high paying jobs in Laos, Tamil Nadu government’s Non-Resident Tamil's Welfare department in an official release on Sunday said the candidates were taken illegally across the border into Laos from Thailand and were held captive to work under 'harsh and restrictive conditions.'*
The advisory was issued after 83 Tamil youths were rescued from Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar, where they were taken on tourist visas under the pretext of providing jobs in the IT sector and later were forced to engage in 'illegal online activities.' At times, they were held hostage by criminal syndicates involved in illegal activities, and forced to work in strenuous conditions and subjected to "physical and mental torture." *
The government explained that Visa on Arrival in Thailand or Laos for Indian nationals does not allow employment in those countries and tourist visa is to be used only for tourism purposes. "Please note that those convicted of human trafficking crimes have been sentenced up to 18 years in prison in Laos," the release said.*
13 Indians rescued from Laos
Thirteen Indians, who were lured into illegal work in Laos, have been rescued and are being sent back home, the Indian embassy in the Southeast Asian country said on Sunday. "In our continued work to ensure safety & wellbeing of Indians as matter of top priority, Embassy successfully rescues & repatriates 13 Indians, incl. 7 Odiya workers from a wood factory in Attapeu province & 6 Indian youth from Golden Triangle SEZ, Bokeo province of Laos," the Indian embassy said on 'X'. "So far, Embassy has rescued 428 Indians from Lao PDR. We thank Lao authorities for their cooperation," it said. Last month, 17 Indian workers were rescued in Laos and were repatriated to India.*