Coimbatore: D Nandakumar, a cyber slavery victim from LIC Colony at Selvapuram in Coimbatore, died in a Cambodian hospital on Dec 17, 2025, hours after Indian embassy officials rescued him from cyber fraudsters, who had confined him for refusing to work at their call centre.Nandakumar had earlier worked at a hotel in Cambodia for a year. In Nov 2025, he was forced by cyber fraudsters to join a call centre. When he refused to take part in fraudulent operations, they confiscated his passport, locked him in a room and denied him food. After falling seriously ill, he contacted his mother Geetha over phone and she alerted the Indian embassy, which arranged his rescue. But he died in hospital. Another 22-year-old victim of cyber slavery from Vadavalli was, meanwhile, lucky to be rescued from Thailand. The youth travelled to Thailand on a tourist visa through a known agent, who told him that a work permit would be issued on arrival. But he was taken to a complex, where his passport and money were confiscated, before forcing him into cyber fraud. He was given targets and promised commission based on performance. “If we do not complete the targets, they will lock us in a room and beat us. The pain is unbearable. I contacted my parents and told them my plight. With the help of the cybercrime police and Indian embassy, I am now rescued and alive,” says the youth recounting the horrifying days in Thailand. Another victim rescued from Cambodia says some people visit the Southeast Asian country knowing the nature of the work, while many are forced into fraudulent activities. “I was there for six months and could not complete the tasks they gave me. They beat me and demanded money for not completing the work. I informed my parents, who paid money and got me rescued.” According to the city police, 136 people from Coimbatore have travelled to Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar that are cyber slavery hotspots, without legitimate job offers. More than 50 of them are suspected to be victims of cyber slavery, while 10 have already been rescued. A cybercrime department official says the trap often begins with polished social media messages or agents promising high salaries, free accommodation and easy office jobs. “Victims are lured with the promise of a better life and usually travel on tourist visas, believing work permits will be arranged after arrival. Instead, they are taken to guarded compounds, often in remote border areas, where their passports are seized. They are then forced, under threats of violence, to run online scams targeting people around the world.” Dr N Kannan, city police commissioner, said they were focusing on awareness programmes to educate people. “Many are unknowingly getting trapped in cyber slavery. And some submit themselves to it voluntarily. We are collecting information about the people who traveled on tourist visas and staying there after the expiry of visas. Strict action will be taken against the agents sending people abroad without proper work permits.” R Nanda Gopal, director, Nexfly Immigration Consultancy near Nava India in Coimbatore, says they do not prefer to send their clients to red-flagged countries such as Cambodia and Myanmar. “We usually verify the background of the company offering the job. Those planning to go abroad for work should check whether the agency is GST-registered and ask for the contact details of people previously sent by them. If there are changes in the nature of the work or salary offered, candidates should be cautious. They should always ask for a job permit before leaving the country.”
