How online job trap landed Chandigarh youths in Myanmar cyber-slave camps, beatings and electric shocks followed
Two Chandigarh youths trafficked to Myanmar for cyber scams after fake online job offers. Tortured, monitored and forced into “love scams” before rescue by Indian agencies.
A simple online job search turned into a nightmare for two Chandigarh youths who were trafficked through Thailand into Myanmar, where they were allegedly mentally tortured, given electric shocks, and forced to work as cyber slaves in “dating-scam” operations run by Chinese handlers. Both were later rescued among hundreds by the central government and brought back first to Delhi and then to their hometown, Chandigarh.
According to police sources, the duo — aged 23 and 25, from different sectors of Chandigarh — were lured through Instagram job offers promising high-paying opportunities abroad. Once they reached Bangkok, they were moved into cyber-fraud hubs inside Myanmar, stripped of their documents, and trained to run online “love-scam” operations under constant surveillance.
The Chandigarh Police Cyber Crime Cell has been questioning both returnees to determine how they were trafficked, the scale of the scam operations, and whether they were moved to other countries during captivity.
The 25-year-old victim told police he had responded to what appeared to be a routine Instagram advertisement for a data-entry job in October 2023. Coming from a financially strained family, he believed the offer was a chance he could not afford to miss. After showing interest, he was redirected to a Telegram channel and asked to submit a self-introduction video and a typing-speed clip. Soon after, he received the message: “You are selected.”
What followed, police sources say, was a meticulously organised trafficking operation.
Around midnight on October 10, he received instructions to be ready for a flight the next day. On October 15, he travelled from Chandigarh to Delhi, where an agent handed him Rs 40,000 outside the airport and ordered him to convert it into Thai Baht. There he met another youth headed for the same “job.” Both flew to Bangkok, from where they were shuttled through a chain of agents — first to a place called Papa’s Front Bank, then by bus to Tak near the Myanmar border. Their photos were taken repeatedly, their identities verified, and they were kept in a hotel with four other Indians. The duo were given 10,000 Baht and taken to buy SIM cards.
The group was then ferried across the Thailand–Myanmar border by boat, after which their passports and phones were seized. Confined to a room and charged 300–500 Baht per day for food, they realised they had been trafficked into a cyber-slavery hub.
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The 25-year-old was separated the next day and handed to a Chinese national running a large scam operation. He was forced into training for “love scam” techniques — internally referred to as “monkey type” and “cow type” — designed to emotionally manipulate victims online. Work began at 6.30 am under Chinese supervisors and armed guards. Any attempt to escape was met with threats involving the “Black Army,” a militia allegedly protecting the scam networks.
On October 21, after he repeatedly complained of illness and pleaded to leave, he was placed in a vehicle meant for Cambodia. The next day, he was pushed back into Thailand through the Friendship Border — and that became his turning point. There, Indian Air Force personnel rescued him along with 24 others. They were later airlifted to India.
Meanwhile, the second victim — a 23-year-old from Chandigarh’s rural belt — told police he had been offered a job on WhatsApp by an agent. After paying Rs 2 lakh in cash, he was taken to Bangkok on a tourist visa in September. From there, he was driven into Myanmar, where he was trained in “dating and trading” scams under a Malaysian national.
His passport was confiscated, and was forced to work 18-hour shifts, with only three hours allowed for communication with family. Though the accommodation was adequate, he told police the food and living conditions were poor. Whenever he refused to carry out scam tasks, he was beaten and given electric shocks. He remained in Myanmar for a month before being rescued by the Indian Embassy and brought back to Delhi and then Chandigarh.
Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula).
Professional Background
Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases.
Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region.
Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns:
1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts
"12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013.
"‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case.
"Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification.
2. Investigative & Scams
"CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus.
"Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh.
3. Environment & Public Safety
"Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities.
"Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos.
4. Gangster Culture & Crime
"City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules.
"Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26.
Signature Style
Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More
