New Delhi: A man from Karnataka, recently rescued from the clutches of an international human trafficking network, has revealed chilling details of his ordeal after arriving in Delhi. The survivor said he had been lured into the trap through a fake job advertisement on Telegram promising a monthly salary of USD 700–800, only to be trafficked into one of Southeast Asia’s most notorious cybercrime hubs.
Lured by a fake job offer
The victim explained that the scam began with what looked like a legitimate overseas job posting. After responding to the advertisement, he underwent a three-stage online interview, which the traffickers claimed he had successfully cleared. Shortly after, flight tickets were arranged and sent to him — a gesture crafted to convince him the opportunity was genuine.
Believing he was headed abroad for a stable job, he boarded the flight. However, the ordeal took a dark turn once he reached Thailand.
Trafficked through a dangerous route
Instead of being taken to a workplace, the victim said traffickers forcibly moved him across the Thai border. He was pushed into a dangerous six to seven-hour illegal hilly route used by criminal syndicates to smuggle individuals into Myanmar.
On the other side awaited KK Park — a name feared across Asia for its reputation as a base for cyber-fraud operations and brutal forced labour. Several Indian nationals have reportedly been trapped there in recent years.
Torture, starvation and threats inside KK Park
Describing his days inside the compound, the survivor said hundreds of trafficked individuals were forced to work up to 17 hours a day. Those who resisted or were unable to meet targets were reportedly tortured.
He shared accounts of victims being denied access to basic necessities, including food, water and medical care. Some, he said, were beaten or electrocuted for minor errors. Even more disturbing were the threats of organ harvesting for those who failed to “perform” or attempted escape.
Victims inside the park had no contact with the outside world, and passports and phones were confiscated immediately upon arrival. Any attempt to speak out invited severe punishment, keeping the entire operation shrouded in fear and silence.
A high cost for escape
According to the survivor, traffickers demanded USD 4,500 (approximately ₹3.75 lakh) from any captive wishing to escape. Even then, he said, there was no guarantee of freedom. Many paid the amount, only to remain trapped or be sold to other criminal operations running similar forced-labour schemes.
He said he had lost hope of returning home and feared he would never see his family again.
Indian agencies mount rescue mission
In his statement, the survivor expressed deep gratitude to the Indian government, Indian Air Force and Indian Army for coordinating the rescue operation. He said that without their intervention, he and several others would have remained trapped in the brutal compound.
Recent months have seen multiple Indian nationals rescued from cybercrime centres in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Officials say trafficking syndicates have been aggressively targeting young job-seekers through Telegram, WhatsApp and social media advertisements promising high salaries abroad.
A growing trafficking crisis targeting Indian youth
Authorities across states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, have issued public advisories warning against fraudulent overseas job offers. Cybercrime cells have also observed a spike in complaints involving illegal recruitment into foreign “tech support” or “customer service” roles — most of which lead victims into cyberfraud dens.
The survivor’s testimony adds to mounting evidence that Indian citizens are increasingly at risk of being trafficked into Southeast Asian cybercrime hubs, where they are forced to participate in scams targeting people around the world.
A reminder to exercise caution
Human trafficking experts say syndicates run highly organised operations, often backed by criminal networks with cross-border influence. They caution that no legitimate employer asks candidates to travel without proper documentation, visa clarity or verifiable job contracts.
For now, the Karnataka survivor is undergoing counselling and debriefing in Delhi. His account stands as a stark warning for jobseekers and families across India: not every overseas opportunity is what it appears to be.