India raises maid’s arm chopping with Riyadh

New Delhi, October 9

Expressing concern over the untoward incident of an Indian woman’s hand being chopped off by her employer in Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said an independent probe must be undertaken and a case of attempted murder be lodged against the sponsor.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said: “We are very much disturbed over the brutal manner in which the Indian lady has been treated in Saudi Arabia. This is unacceptable. We have taken this up with the Saudi authorities. Our embassy is in touch with victim Kasthuri Munirathinam.”

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the Indian mission in Riyadh visited the victim in the hospital and her situation was currently stable.

“Our mission in Riyadh is actively pursuing the matter with the Saudi authorities. We had raised the issue on October 7 itself with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and asked for strict action in the matter,” he said.

Munirathinam from Mungileri village in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, lodged a complaint alleging she was being ill-treated by her Saudi employer. The employer attacked her. She was reportedly trying to flee the house where she was confined when her employer caught hold of her and chopped off her hand. — IANS