Coimbatore : The Director-General of Police, A. X. Alexander, has directed the police to keep tabs on private employment agencies.

This follows instances of fly-by-night human resource consultants luring youngsters, assuring them of employment opportunities both within the country and overseas. The service charge levied by them ranged between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 3 lakhs.

Youths from Kerala and unemployed graduates from the backward and southern districts of Tamil Nadu usually fall prey to these agencies. They even sell their ancestral property to realise their dream of going abroad.

Recently, a Mumbai-based travel agency operating from Gandhipuram in Coimbatore cheated 700 people to the tune of nearly Rs. 7 crores.

The Coimbatore City Police have so far arrested six promoters of this firm and attached their properties..

Verify credentials

Normally, these agencies offered employment in West Asia, South East Asia, European countries and the United States.

The DGP has now directed all the Commissioners of Police, Range DIGs and Superintendents of Police in the State to direct the respective Station House Officers and Sub-Divisional Officers to keep tabs on such travel agents and manpower agencies.

The officers have been instructed to verify the credentials of such firms before people fell prey to them.

The officers should check whether they have registered with the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of External Affairs; they are a franchisee of a registered manpower recruitment agency; and whether they have the required authorisation.

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