Patna: Two youths from Bihar’s Bhojpur district who travelled to Cambodia in search of employment have allegedly been trapped by an international fraud network and are now reported to be in jail, with their families claiming that criminals are demanding Rs 5–6 lakh for their release.
The youths — Amarjeet Kumar from Jagdishpur block and Manish Kumar from the Piro area — had left for Cambodia on January 28 through agents who allegedly promised them jobs in the hotel industry.
According to their families, both have been missing for weeks after informing them that they were being forced into cyber fraud operations.
Families Say They Sold Livestock and Crops to Send Sons Abroad
Relatives of the two youths say they had arranged the money for the trip after selling assets and borrowing from relatives and moneylenders.
Amarjeet’s family said they sold their buffalo and standing paddy crop on two bighas of land to arrange funds. When the amount still fell short, they borrowed money on interest to gather around Rs 2.5 lakh required for the overseas job opportunity.
“We somehow arranged money from relatives, neighbours and local lenders to send our son abroad so he could earn and improve our financial condition. We never imagined that he would fall into the trap of fraudsters,” a family member said.
The family now says they are receiving threatening calls demanding Rs 5 lakh for his release.
Journey to Cambodia and Alleged Captivity
According to the families, the youths were sent to Phnom Penh in Cambodia after being promised jobs in a hotel and food packaging unit by a Mumbai-based agent.
However, shortly after reaching Cambodia on January 29, they were allegedly taken into custody by members of an international gang and forced to participate in cyber fraud activities.
When the youths refused to engage in illegal activities, the gang allegedly confiscated their passports and documents. With the alleged involvement of the agent, the two were later sent to jail on fabricated charges.
Before being detained, both youths reportedly managed to call their families and describe their situation.
“They told us they were being treated like animals. They said they were not given proper food and were beaten when they refused to carry out cyber fraud,” family members said.
Threatening Calls Demanding Money
The families claim that after the youths informed them they might soon return home, they were suddenly sent to jail. Since then, unknown callers have allegedly been contacting the families repeatedly, demanding Rs 5–6 lakh in the name of legal fees and police expenses for their release.
According to the relatives, the callers have also issued threats, warning that if the money is not paid within two weeks, the consequences would be severe.
Amarjeet’s Family Struggling as Son Remains Missing
Twenty-five-year-old Amarjeet Kumar is the son of Hridayanand Ram, a daily wage labourer from Araila village in Jagdishpur block. Amarjeet married Pinki Devi in 2023, and their son Ayyansh turned one year old on March 11.
Pinki Devi said her husband had promised to return home for their son’s first birthday.
“He told our son he would come back soon and bring toys for his birthday. But now we don’t even know if he is safe,” she said.
Amarjeet’s mother, Prabhavati Devi, said her son had expressed his intention to work abroad to improve the family’s financial situation.
“He told me not to worry and to take care of his wife and child. He said he would earn money abroad and gradually improve the condition of our home,” she recalled.
According to the family, a man identified as Sanjay Chopgar alias Lucky from Mumbai had promised Amarjeet a job in Cambodia with a monthly salary of around $800.
However, during a phone conversation on February 19, Amarjeet reportedly told his family that things were not right and that he planned to return home on February 21. Soon after, his contractor allegedly assaulted him and seized his documents.
Manish Also Lured Through Social Media
The second youth, 28-year-old Manish Kumar, is a resident of Barki Khanni Kala village under Agiaon Bazaar police station in Bhojpur district.
His mother, Ramkumari Devi, said Manish had completed a science graduation and had previously worked in Oman before returning home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said Manish later came in contact with a man named Santosh from Mumbai through Facebook, who promised to help him secure a well-paying job abroad.
“I warned my son not to trust strangers, but he believed the agent’s promises,” she said.
Ramkumari Devi said around Rs 2.5 lakh was spent to send Manish to Cambodia. He had gone there hoping to earn money for the education of his three children — two daughters, Riya and Goldy, and a son, Harish.
“We don’t know in what condition my son is living there. I fold my hands before the Government of India to bring my son back safely,” she said.
Local Representatives Seek Government Intervention
Ward member Dinesh Ram from Amarjeet’s village said the family is extremely poor and cannot arrange such a large amount of money.
He said he has submitted a written application to the District Magistrate of Ara seeking help. The matter has also been raised with Ara Member of Parliament Sudama Prasad.
The MP has reportedly written to the Ministry of External Affairs, urging immediate intervention and diplomatic engagement with Cambodian authorities to secure the safe release of the two youths.
Authorities are now being urged to investigate the agents involved and take steps to rescue the trapped workers. The incident has once again highlighted the growing risks of overseas job scams targeting unemployed youth in rural India.
