In a shocking instance of yet another domestic worker being physically assaulted in the Middle-East, an Indian citizen from Tamil Nadu named Kasturi has been admitted in a Riyadh hospital after her employer allegedly chopped off her right arm. Officers of the Indian Embassy have met her in the hospital to ensure her safety.
Kasturi, hailing from Vellore in Tamil Nadu, reportedly went to Saudi three months ago to work as a domestic help at a house. Her family in Chennai alleges that she was repeatedly tortured. She jumped off the balcony of the house to escape her employer. The 58-year-old was working for an old woman.
Kasturi had reached out to her family in India and sent her video statement from the hospital. You can watch the video below.
In the video, she says that while she was trying to escape from the tortures of her employers by getting off the balcony with the help of a saree, her arm was chopped off. She says that it was the lady she was taking care of, who chopped off her hands.
The incident occurred on September 29, according to her family in India. “The agent first said that she had an accident and that she was admitted in the hospital,” says Vijayakumari, Kasturi’s sister, “But the relative of a nurse at the hospital then called them and told us what had really happened.”
The members of the family have reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Saudi Embassy and local administration officials.
Speaking to The News Minute, Kasturi’s sister Vijayashankari said that embassy officials have visited her at the hospital and ensured her safety. “But her condition is very critical so it will take a few weeks for her to get back,” she said.
Meanwhile, DMK MP Kanimozhi has stepped in to help the family and has written to foreign minister Sushma Swaraj for help.
According to the family, Kasturi and her employer had differences over working conditions and she had also not been paid her salary since she joined. After Kasturi complained to the authorities in Saudi about the treatment meted out to her, her employer decided to assault her, says Vijayashankari.
News7 also reports that the Saudi authorities had first registered a case of accident against the employer, but on intervention from Indian officials, a case of violence against the victim has been registered. In a video uploaded on Thursday, Kasturi is seen speaking to a person on the phone pleading that she be brought back to India.
Update on October 9
Meanwhile, Union Minister for External Affairs tweeted this morning,
Chopping of hand of Indian lady - We are very much disturbed over the brutal manner in which Indian lady has been treated in Saudi Arabia.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) October 9, 2015This is unacceptable. We have taken this up with Saudi authorities.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) October 9, 2015This is unacceptable. We have taken this up with Saudi authorities.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) October 9, 2015