Soiru Velip
Panaji
In the midst of deportation of illegal Indian immigrants by the United States, a Goan youth from Ponda taluka has remained stuck in Cambodia for over a year after he was caught by the local administration for entering the country illegally.
According to Goa Commission for NRI Affairs, the youth was promised a job in Thailand by a woman agent. However, when he landed in that country, he was taken on a motorcycle towards Cambodia border where he was detained by the local security agency. The youth did not have an official visa of Cambodia.
Though the Goa Commission for NRI Affairs as well as the Union government have tried their best to bring the youth back from Cambodia, he has not yet been released owing to tough policies of the local administration.
Despite the Indian Embassy in Cambodia issuing an emergency certificate (travel document), the country has not been able to release the youth due to the strict regulations prevailing there. Presently, the youth is in a shelter home of an international NGO, which provides him food and accommodation.
Speaking about the distressed youth, Director of the Goa Commission for NRI Affairs Anthony D’Souza told The Navhind Times on Wednesday that the Commission had received a complaint from the youth’s mother in July 2024 that her son, who had travelled to Thailand for employment purpose, was in trouble.
D’Souza said the Commission immediately swung into action and, through the Union government, established contact with the Indian Embassy in Cambodia.
“With the intervention of the Indian government, an emergency certificate was issued to the youth for travelling back to India. However, due to certain regulations of the Cambodian government, the local administration is not able to release the youth,” he said.
