India rescues 549 Indians from cybercrime centres along Myanmar-Thailand border
New Delhi, Mar 12 (PTI): India has brought back 549 of its citizens in two military aircraft after securing their release from cybercrime centres located along the Myanmar-Thailand border, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The Indians were victims of fake job offers, officials said.
In a post on X, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government of India arranged for the safe repatriation of 266 Indians on Tuesday onboard an Indian Air Force aircraft.
On Monday, 283 Indians were similarly repatriated, he said.
The Indian nationals, mostly from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were lured with fake job offers to either Thailand or Myanmar. They were then taken to cybercrime centres in Myanmar's Myawaddy region, he said.
The Indian embassies in Myanmar and Thailand worked with the governments of the two countries for the release and repatriation of the Indians, he added.
The MEA said on Monday that the government has been making sustained efforts for the release of Indians lured to various Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, with fake job offers.
"These persons were subsequently made to indulge in cybercrime and engage in other fraudulent activities in scam centres operating in regions along the Myanmar-Thailand border," it said in a statement.
"The government of India wishes to reiterate its caution, circulated earlier from time to time through advisories and social media posts, about such rackets," it added.
"Indian nationals are once again advised to verify credentials of foreign employers through Missions abroad and check the antecedents of recruiting agents and companies before taking up a job offer," the ministry said.
Government of India arranged for the safe repatriation of 266 Indians yesterday by an IAF aircraft, who were released from cybercrime centres in South East Asia. On Monday, 283 Indians were similarly repatriated.
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) March 12, 2025
Indian Embassies worked with Myanmar & Thailand governments to… pic.twitter.com/m56JcUzLSp
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
