Kerala Man Shot Dead At Israel Border Was Victim Of Job Scam; Family Claims He Was Promised ₹3.5 Lakh Salary

New Delhi: An Indian man identified as Thomas Gabriel Perera was allegedly shot dead by Jordanian soldiers last month while attempting to cross into Israel illegally.

As per a report by BBC, Perera's family revealed that he travelled to Jordan on a visitor visa on February 10, lured by a fraudulent job offer promising him a monthly salary of Rs 3.5. Perera was also accompanied by his brother-in-law Edison Charlas, when the incident took place.

What Did the Fraudsters Promise Perera?

According to the report, Perera and Charlas paid an agent Rs 2.1 lakh before leaving India and an additional Rs 52,289 ($600) after arriving in Jordan. Upon reaching Amman, they were informed that no jobs were available, exposing the scam.

The agent later informed the two Indian men that Israel had ample job opportunities and advised them to attempt to enter the country illegally.

On February 10, while trying to cross the border, they were fired upon by Jordanian soldiers. Perera was fatally shot and died on the spot, while Charlas sustained injuries but survived. After receiving medical treatment, Charlas was eventually repatriated to India.

Indian Embassy In Jordan Reacts

Shortly after the incident, the Indian Embassy in Jordan took to X (formerly Twitter) to release an official statement condemning Perera's death.

"The Embassy has learnt of the sad demise of an Indian national in unfortunate circumstances. The Embassy is in touch with the family of the deceased and is working closely with Jordanian authorities for transportation of mortal remains of the deceased," the tweet read.

Have a look at it here:

Perera and Charles reportedly hailed from Kerala and worked as auto-rickshaw drivers.

Published on: Saturday, March 08, 2025, 03:09 PM IST