A staggering 29,466 Indians who travelled to Southeast Asia on visitor visas between January 2022 and May 2024 have not returned, according to official data from the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The report reveals that the majority of these individuals, aged between 20 and 39, are male (21,182). A significant portion of the missing (over one-third) hails from the states of Punjab, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. Thailand accounts for 69 per cent of these cases, with 20,450 missing individuals.

This alarming trend has been linked to the rise of ‘cyber slavery’ in Southeast Asia, where job seekers are lured with promises of high-paying positions but are ultimately forced into cyber fraud and other illegal activities, often under threat of violence. Victims are frequently sent on tourist visas, with promises of data entry or call centre jobs, only to find themselves trapped in criminal operations.

In response to the growing crisis, the Indian government formed a high-level inter-ministerial task force in May 2024 to investigate and address the issue. This task force has directed all states and union territories to conduct thorough ground-level verifications and gather detailed reports on the missing individuals. Immigration authorities have been instructed to enhance screening processes to detect potential victims before they leave the country.

State-wise Breakdown of Missing Individuals

The data also provides a detailed state-wise breakdown, highlighting that, in addition to Punjab, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, significant numbers of people are missing from Uttar Pradesh (2,946), Kerala (2,659), Delhi (2,140), Gujarat (2,068), and Haryana (1,928). Karnataka, Telangana, Rajasthan, and several other states have also reported hundreds of missing individuals. Delhi airport alone accounts for 12,493 of the missing, followed by Mumbai (4,699), Kolkata (2,395), and Kochi (2,296).

Rising Concerns About Cyber Slavery

Concerns over cyber slavery in Southeast Asia first came to light earlier in 2024 when reports surfaced that over 5,000 Indians were trapped in Cambodia, being forced to carry out cyber frauds. Victims of these scams are typically promised legitimate jobs but end up being exploited for illegal activities.

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has reported a sharp increase in cybercrimes originating from Southeast Asia. Around 45 per cent of cybercrimes targeting Indians are believed to come from this region. Since January 2023, approximately 100,000 cybercrime complaints have been filed through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, underscoring the growing threat.

The government’s efforts to tackle this crisis are ongoing, with increased vigilance at airports, deeper investigations into fraudulent recruitment agencies, and enhanced cybercrime tracking in collaboration with international authorities.

New Delhi, Sep 30 2024