Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
As many as 988 people who travelled to foreign countries are believed to be living in conditions resembling cyber slavery, while 66 human trafficking cases have been registered in Jammu and Kashmir, SSP Crime J&K Mohammad Anwar-ul-Haq said on Monday.
Of the 66 cases, 54 have been registered in the Kashmir zone and 12 in the Jammu zone, he said.
However, Anwar-ul-Haq clarified that not all those who went abroad were necessarily victims of cyber slavery or human trafficking, as some may have travelled voluntarily.
He was speaking on the sidelines of a Union Territory-level conference on anti-human trafficking organised by the Crime Branch in Srinagar.
The SSP said the conference, held on the directions of Police Headquarters, focused on various aspects of human trafficking, particularly the emerging challenge of cyber slavery.
Representatives from government departments, college students, judicial officers from the High Courts, Social Welfare Department officials and nodal officers of the Anti-Human Trafficking Units of J&K Police participated in the event.
An expert at the conference cautioned people against accepting overseas employment offers without verifying their authenticity, noting that financial difficulties often make job seekers vulnerable to fraudulent promises of employment and other benefits.
The expert said some people accept appointment letters and job offers received through email without checking the credentials of employers or carefully examining the terms and conditions of employment.
Emphasising the need for vigilance, the expert urged prospective overseas workers to verify job offers and assess potential risks of exploitation before accepting them.
The conference also highlighted the long-term psychological consequences of human trafficking. The expert noted that victims could continue to suffer severe psychological trauma even after being rescued and called for greater public awareness to prevent people from falling prey to trafficking networks.
