Idukki (Kerala) : On the pretext of providing jobs, a native of Idukki lured and sent a team of youths from Kerala to Malaysia but they got stuck there without any legal documents in hand. The stranded Kerala youth went there with the assurance of getting a better job and are now stuck without any good opportunities and visas, their parents alleged in a police complaint.
Relatives of the defrauded youths have made allegations against Augustine, a native of Nedumkandam, Idukki. Based on their complaints, Augustine was taken into police custody. Meanwhile, 6 members of the team surrendered before the Malaysian Security officials and were later deported to India. However, the actual number of people who were stuck there is not clarified yet.
The youths from Idukki were trafficked to Malaysia by promising foreign jobs by offering them a salary of up to eighty thousand rupees. Augustine, a middle-aged native of Nedumkandam, Idukki, took the money and sent the youth to work. The man offered jobs in supermarkets and packing departments of various companies in Malaysia.
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The youths paid Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh each to Augustine for the jobs. They informed their family members that they were first told they would get the visas while arriving in Chennai but they were taken to Malaysia through a secret route after being brought to Thailand. One of the youths informed his family after reaching Malaysia, that they realized the cheating only when they reached Malaysia.
Even though they understood the fraud, they could not inform their family at that time due to the lack of mobile phones and other facilities. They arrived in Malaysia after walking through the forest for eight hours and travelling in covered container lorries and boats. The father of the youth alleged that Augustine along with his son had defrauded them.
The trafficked youths could not seek help from the Malaysian government as their passports are withheld. They are staying in Malaysia without even a tourist visa. The police said that after consulting legal experts, they will consider the possibility of filing a case against Augustine for human trafficking and job fraud.
