It was supposed to be a solution to a better life—a high-paying work in the Middle East, a chance to leave economic hardships in Kerala. Otherwise, Thomas Gabriel Perera ended up dead, shot at the Israel-Jordan border, a target not just of guns but of a brutal job scam that lured him into a dangerous pit, reported BBC.
The assurance of a fortune — the start of a problem
Perera, 47, and his brother-in-law Edison Charlas were hardworking auto-rickshaw vehicles in Kerala when an adviser approached them with an amazing offer: blue-collar work in Jordan paying a hefty Rs 3.5 million per quarter. All they had to do was give Rs 2.1 million honest and travel to Amman on a holiday card. He also spent an additional$ 600 after reaching Jordan on a tourist visa.
Eager for a better career, the men took the risk. But when they landed in Jordan, fact hit them like a ton of bricks—the promised employment didn’t occur.
Next came the second fish.
The agent, probably sensing the female’s growing anxiety, dangled another desire: Israel. ” There’s work there, but you’ll have to cross the border illegally”, he reportedly told them, reported BBC. With no money left and no way to return home, Perera and Charlas made the fateful choice that may change their lives forever.
The dangerous journey — a evening run turned disaster
On February 10, under the cover of darkness, the trio and a group of people were packed into a vehicle and driven for hours to Jordan’s borders with Israel.
What happened next was directly out of a problem.
” We were made to walk for km along a coastline”, Charlas recalled. ” It was pitch black. Immediately, gunshot erupted”.
Chaos ensued. Perera, hit in the head, collapsed instantly—dead on the spot. Charlas, crippled and bleeding, blacked out before he even realized what had happened.
No notice, no forgiveness? The secret of the border firing
Israeli security forces claim they fired after issuing instructions. Charlas, the only victim, tells a different story.
” There was no warning”, he insisted. ” They just shot”.
Was this a case of mistaken identity? A assault on human trafficking? Or just a terrible response to illegal bridges? The responses remain vague.
Jail, imprisonment, and a figure still stuck in Jordan
After waking up in a Jordanian doctor, Charlas ‘ suffering was far from above. He was shuffled between government agencies, thrown into prison for 18 days, and just managed to contact his partner through pure luck.
On February 28, he was suddenly deported to India. But Perera’s system? Also in Jordan. His home is now in a desperate worry, hoping the American government may bring him home.
The bigger fraud: A style of abuse
Perera’s dreadful death is not an isolated event. Across the world, American workers—often hungry for better wages—are falling prey to similar scams.
- Cambodia and Southeast Asia: Thousands trafficked to con facilities under false work claims.
- Russia-Ukraine War: Indians tricked into joining the field after being promised high-paying tasks.
- US Persecution: 100 Indians sent up next month after being lured into illegal migration techniques.
