NEW DELHI // India said on Friday it had lodged a protest with authorities in Riyadh after a maid from Tamil Nadu allegedly had her hand chopped off by her Saudi employer for complaining about her work conditions.
India’s foreign minister deplored a “brutal” attack on 55-year-old Kasthuri Munirathinam, who is being treated at a hospital in Riyadh. It comes weeks after a Saudi diplomat based in New Delhi was accused of rape.
“Chopping off [the] hand of [an] Indian lady – we are very much disturbed over the brutal manner in which [this] Indian lady has been treated in Saudi Arabia,” Sushma Swaraj said on Twitter.
“This is unacceptable. We have taken this up with Saudi authorities,” Ms Swaraj added.
A spokesman for the foreign ministry confirmed that Indian diplomats in Riyadh had lodged a formal complaint at the Saudi foreign ministry.
Ms Munirathinam, who comes from a village in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, had suffered a catalogue of abuse since taking up a post as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia three months ago, according to her family.
“Her right hand was chopped off by her employer when she tried to escape the daily harassment, torture and abysmal work conditions,” her sister S Vijayakumari said by phone from Tamil Nadu’s capital Chennai.
Ms Vijayakumari said that her sister had gone to Saudi Arabia to help pay off her family’s debts and she had been promised a monthly salary of around 180 dollars.
“But she was not paid, she was barely given enough to eat and not even allowed to speak to her family ... Now she only wants to come home,” Ms Vijayakumari said.
The family says that problems started for Ms Munirathinam – who was one of five domestic workers in the same household – after she complained to the local authorities about her situation.
Footage of Ms Munirathinam lying in her Saudi hospital bed was broadcast by several Indian media outlets.
Foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said that Ms Munirathinam was still recuperating in the Riyadh hospital but said that efforts were being made to bring her home.
“We are in touch with the woman, hospital and the local police authorities. She will get all possible legal and other help from the embassy,” Ms Swarup said.
Hundreds of thousands of Indian migrants work in households in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries but complaints about their treatment by their employers often make headlines back home.
A video showing a male Indian worker being beaten by his Saudi employer went viral in September, sparking a widespread backlash on social media.
There was also widespread anger last month when the first secretary at the Saudi embassy left India under diplomatic immunity after being accused of holding captive and raping two Nepalese maids in his home.
* Agence France-Presse
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
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The Word for Woman is Wilderness
Abi Andrews, Serpent’s Tail
How to avoid crypto fraud
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Pakistan v New Zealand Test series
Pakistan: Sarfraz (c), Hafeez, Imam, Azhar, Sohail, Shafiq, Azam, Saad, Yasir, Asif, Abbas, Hassan, Afridi, Ashraf, Hamza
New Zealand: Williamson (c), Blundell, Boult, De Grandhomme, Henry, Latham, Nicholls, Ajaz, Raval, Sodhi, Somerville, Southee, Taylor, Wagner
Umpires: Bruce Oxerford (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG); TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS); Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded