NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and BJP leader V Muraleedharan have sought ministry of external affairs’ intervention in the repatriation of the mortal remains of the Kerala man shot dead at the Israel-Jordan border last month.
Tharoor said that he had written to MEA and the embassy “requesting urgent action to expedite the return the mortal remains to the family in Thiruvananthapuram.”
“This is the most unfortunate and tragic situation, Thomas Gabriel from my constituency, was shot dead by apparently by Jordanian security forces in Jordan at the border with Israel, we are not fully aware of the circumstances, unscrupulous agents seem to have misled him. The family wants the body back, I have written to the MEA and Embassy, requesting urgent action to expedite the return the mortal remains to the family in Thiruvananthapuram,” he said.
Additionally, senior BJP leader Muraleedharan in a statement requested foreign minister S Jaishankar to “expedite the procedures”.
“To expedite the procedures, Muraleedharan requested Jaishankar to take the necessary action,” a statement from the BJP leader’s office said.
Gabriel’s family revealed that they received an email from the Indian Embassy on March 1, confirming his death. The incident reportedly took place on February 10, when Jordanian soldiers opened fire at the border. Gabriel’s relative, Edison, was also shot but survived and has since returned home with injuries, according to family sources.
Gabriel and Edison were part of a four-member group attempting to cross the Jordan-Israel border with the help of an agent. The group had entered Jordan on a three-month visit visa. When the Jordanian army intercepted them at the border, they tried to flee, prompting the soldiers to open fire. Gabriel was shot in the head, while Edison sustained a leg injury and was taken to a Jordanian army hospital. After receiving treatment, he was repatriated to India.