A Kerala resident, 47-year-old Thomas Gabriel Perera, was killed by Jordanian security forces, while attempting to illegally enter Israel, the Indian embassy in Jordan has confirmed. Perera had traveled to Jordan in February on a tourist visa after being offered a job in Israel by an Indian national.
The Indian Embassy in Jordan expressed deep sorrow over Perera’s death. In a statement tagging the Ministry of External Affairs, the embassy said, “The Embassy has learnt of the sad demise of an Indian national in unfortunate circumstances. We are in touch with the deceased’s family and working closely with Jordanian authorities to facilitate the transportation of his mortal remains.”
Perera, a resident of Puthuval Purayidam at Rajiv Nagar near Thumba, and three others fell victim to an elaborate visa scam. Lured by the promise of lucrative jobs in Israel with a purported monthly pay of ₹3,50,000, they were instead issued Jordanian tourist visas by an unidentified agency.
Perera and his 43-year-old acquaintance, Edison, both autorickshaw drivers, left for Jordan on February 5. As per the reports, they attempted to cross into Israel through a mountain valley. However, they were allegedly intercepted by Jordanian soldiers. Edison recounted their desperate pleas for a phone call to explain their situation, but language barriers thwarted their efforts. The soldiers opened fire, fatally striking Perera in the head and injuring Edison’s leg.
Edison, who lives near Kinfra Park at Menamkulam, lost consciousness and was unaware of Perera’s death until he was deported to India. Reports indicate that the other two individuals involved in the attempted crossing remain in Jordanian custody.
Perera’s family was unaware of his true reasons for traveling to Jordan. His relative, Beena, revealed that he had not disclosed his plans. A day before his death, Perera assured his wife over the phone that they were safe and asked her to pray. Reports show that Perera’s family was informed about his death by the Indian embassy in Jordan through an email but it wasn’t checked.
Perera’s family has sought help from Norka Roots to bring his body home. Norka Roots CEO Ajith Kolassery said, “This is not the first time people have fallen prey to visa agency frauds. Several people from coastal hamlets were recruited to the Russian army under the pretext of offering them some other jobs to fight the Ukraine war. These agencies may not even possess valid licenses to recruit people or offer visas. People must be aware of such frauds and state police have a major role to play here.”
Perera’s relative Agnes Henry informed reporters that their families had no clue about who took them to Jordan or how much money was paid.
