Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary and Tiruchi MP Durai Vaiko on Saturday urged the youth to exercise caution while seeking employment or education abroad, citing a surge in job rackets targeting Indians.
Addressing reporters in Tiruchi, he said several youth were lured by fraudulent online advertisements promising lucrative jobs in countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines under the guise of BPO placements. Many were later trafficked and forced into cybercrime operations. Citing a media report from April 2024 he said nearly 5,000 Indians were trapped in such rackets.
Mr. Vaiko said the Ministry of External Affairs had published a list of safe countries and approved agencies, which does not include Russia, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
He highlighted a recent case involving three Tamil Nadu youth who were trafficked from Cambodia to Myanmar and are now being coerced into cybercrimes. The MP said he had spoken personally to MEA officials, who had assured coordinated rescue efforts.
Citing another case of a Tamil student stranded amid the Russia–Ukraine conflict, Mr. Vaiko said his efforts to secure the youth’s return would continue. He appealed to parents and students to verify all overseas offers through official channels.
Published – November 01, 2025 05:12 pm IST
