DOHA Many of the Indian labourers , who had turned up at an Open House organised by Indian Embassy here yesterday, were allegedly duped by the Kerala-based manpower agencies in India.

A group of more than 10 labourers told the mission that they had paid cash ranging from Rs60,000 to Rs70,000 to the concerned agencies in India to secure jobs here.

While two companies are Kochi-based, the other company had its main office in Palakkad.

Sooraj, a victim who had paid Rs65,000 to the Kochi-based "Bee Pee Tours and Travels", along with his four friends, told The Peninsula that the company had promised them a monthly salary of QR950 plus medical allowance, annual bonus, food and accommodation. However, contrary to the promises, he and his friends were given only QR800. Again QR150 was deducted from this amount against what the company claimed as visa fee.

Jose Thomas, another expatriate labourer who was duped by the same company, was offered a monthly salary of QR1,400. However, he was receiving a salary of QR1,100.

“We were not told that they would dedcut the visa fee from the salary. But every month QR150 is being deducted. They have not even stamped our visas till date", he said.

Jose Thomas said a lot of Indian expatriate labourers, who had paid huge amounts to these manpower companies, are languishing in various labour camps in Qatar.

The Kochi-based Indus Management and the Palakkad-based Airlinks are the other two manpower agencies that have allegedly collected money from the labourers.