TIRUCHY: MAY Day was a nightmare for 32 workers as their dreams of a bright future were dashed by agents from Kumbakonam. After collecting nearly Rs 50 lakh from the workers luring them with the promise of jobs in Thailand, the agents abandoned them at Tiruchy airport on Tuesday morning. The bewildered workers had to lodge individual complaints against the agents at Kumbakonam taluk police station.
A month ago, youths of Kumbakonam and its surrounding areas had seen an advertisement on local TV channels by MG Enterprises about a range of job opportunities in Thailand. When they contacted the mobile number displayed on screen, they were told about jobs like drivers, supermarket supervisors and packing helpers in Thailand.
The agents told them that they would get jobs with a monthly salary of Rs 47,000 and above and added it was a two-year contract.
The agents reportedly collected Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs1.5 lakh from each of the job hopefuls based on the salaries promised.
All 32 persons were subjected to medical fitness tests in a private hospital, for which they paid Rs 5,000 each.
They have issued flight tickets but not visas. Growing suspicious, they asked the agents why they had not been given visas.
R. Reagan (23) said. “They told us that we would get our visas at the airport on May 1 from a person before boarding the flight. Believing this, we all rented a van from Kumbakonam and reached Tiruchy airport in the wee hours. We waited for hours but no one turned up and our flight was scheduled to depart at 9.40 am.” “When we approached airport officials, they denied us permission to enter the boarding area because we were carrying only passports and tickets. We tried reaching the agents on phone but in vain.”
The youngsters hailed from areas such as Mayiladuthurai, Papanasam, Sirkazhi and other localities near Kumbakonam.
With tears welling up in their eyes, they recalled how they managed to arrange the money and were given a send-off by their families with hopes of a bright future. “All our dreams collapsed within a day,” they said.
They went to the Tiruchy city commissioner’s office to lodge a complaint but were directed to go to the Thanjavur SP’s office. There, they were advised to file a complaint with the local police station.