Rome: Condoling the death of an Indian worker, who succumbed to his injuries here after being allegedly dumped by his employer on the road following a severe injury, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged strict punishment against those found guilty.
Bringing up the issue in the Italian Parliament, Meloni said that Singh was a victim of "horrible and inhuman acts" with a "disgusting attitude" from his employer. After her condolences, the entire Italian Cabinet stood up to pay tribute to the Indian worker.
Satnam Singh, 31, was cutting hay in Lazio, near Rome, when his arm got chopped off by heavy farm machinery. His employers put him in a truck and "dumped" him like a "bag of rubbish near his home" along with his severed hand.
Singh, who hailed from Moga in Punjab, died on June 19 at a hospital in Rome after being airlifted there. Doctors said that the victim died as he lost so much blood that he couldn't recover from his injuries.
His employer, Antonello Lovato, has been charged with negligent manslaughter. His wife was treated for shock after the incident, and received a special 'justice' stay permit to end her illegal status in Italy, Ansa news agency reported.
Meanwhile, several Indian farm laborers protested in Italy this week, seeking an end to "slavery" after Singh's death, news agency AFP reported. "We come here to work, not to die," they said.
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Satnam Singh's death highlighted the brutal exploitation of undocumented migrants in Italy. According to Ministry of External Affairs data, there are over two lakh overseas Indians in Italy. The number of documented Indians in Italy is the highest in continental Europe just after Germany. According to media reports, thousands of Indians work illegally on farms in Italy, especially in the Pontine Marshes area. They are underpaid, and women are even at risk of sexual exploitation. |
