Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Jan 22: AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday called on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to take immediate action to rescue 16 Indian nationals reportedly trapped on the Myanmar-Thailand border.

Owaisi shared on social media platform X that he received an urgent message from one of the captives describing their dire conditions. According to the MP, the group, including three individuals from Hyderabad, had been promised employment in Thailand but were instead taken to the border region, where they are reportedly being held in forced labor. They are allegedly subjected to 18–20 hour workdays, physical abuse, and are deprived of passports, mobile phones, and medical care.

Owaisi identified the source of the distress call as Mir Sajjad Ali, a resident of Osman Nagar, Hyderabad, and said two others with him were from Maula Ali and Banjara Hills. The MP urged the EAM to intervene promptly to ensure the safe return of all affected Indian nationals.

India has previously repatriated over 1,500 citizens from Thailand last year, many of whom had fallen victim to organized cybercrime networks that lured them with promises of high-paying jobs, only to force them into illegal online activities. In November, 11 Indians from Telangana were rescued from Thailand, and another 55 from Andhra Pradesh, mostly from Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam, were brought back after being detained at cybercrime hubs in Myanmar.

The Andhra Pradesh government provided immediate assistance to those repatriated, helping many recover from the financial and logistical challenges caused by their captivity. Over the past year, 79 people rescued from the Myanmar cybercrime network received support from the state in reaching their homes safely.

Owaisi’s appeal highlights the ongoing concern over Indian citizens being exploited abroad, and he stressed the need for urgent government intervention to secure the release of those still trapped.