HYDERABAD: A 22-year-old man who recently returned to Hyderabad after months in a cyberslavery camp is undergoing treatment for multiple health problems in a government hospital in the city.
According to his family, the victim was forced to work 12 to 14 hours a day and subjected to punishments such as electric shocks, beatings and prolonged periods without food.
The family said he had been lured with the promise of an overseas job by a man identified as Rehan Baig. Trusting him, the youth agreed to travel abroad. Once there, he was allegedly moved across locations, cut off from communication, and kept in inhumane conditions which left parts of his body “not functioning properly”. Since the victim was unable to file a complaint himself, his uncle approached the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB).
The family’s association with Rehan began in 2016 when the victim’s mother travelled to Saudi Arabia for work through him. She returned in 2021.
In 2023, Rehan contacted her again, seeking “boys willing to work in Europe as waiters”. She put forward her son and paid Rehan Rs 5.4 lakh as commission. After this, he avoided them and provided no clear job details. He later told them there was an IT job in Thailand offering a salary of Rs 50,000, and assured them that travel tickets and documents would be arranged by the company.
In May 2025, the youth left for Thailand. On arrival, he said he was shuttled in several vehicles and taken across the Thailand–Myanmar border at Mae Sot. After crossing into Myawaddy, he was transported to a compound where he was forced to work for a fraud network run by Chinese handlers, carrying out online scams.
Victim rescued by Myanmar army in raid, handed over to embassy
The cyberslavery victim stated he was forced to sign a one-year contract and was warned that refusal would attract fines of USD 4,000 and THB 30,000. Armed guards patrolled the compound, and he said escape was not possible. After several months, the Myanmar Army conducted a raid, rescuing those held inside and handing them over to the Indian Embassy in Thailand. They later returned to India with official assistance.
2nd victim escapes after 20-km trek
A second victim, aged 26 and from Rajendranagar, told TGCSB he too had been trapped in a cyberslavery camp. He had travelled to Dubai on a visit visa on the advice of his cousin, but after failing to secure work for two months, he returned to India. During that period, he met Mohsin, a Hyderabadi working as a driver in Kuwait, who introduced him to Arif (also known by the Chinese name Zochai), a resident of Hyderabad.
Arif offered him a data-entry job in Bangkok and insisted it was legitimate, claiming he himself worked for the same employer in Myanmar. In August, the youth was taken there and forced into cyberscam operations. When he refused to participate, he said he was fined and confined for 24 hours. He worked for several days under pressure before deciding to flee.
On October 22, he escaped by travelling roughly 20 km to the Myanmar border. With help from soldiers, he crossed into Thailand. The next day, Thai authorities handed him over to the Indian Embassy.
The TGCSB has registered cases and is investigating.