Saudi employer ‘hacks off maid’s hand for complaining about work conditions’

A maid has had her hand chopped off by her Saudi employer for complaining about her work conditions. Indian Kasthuri Munirathinam, 55, is recovering in hospital in Riyadh after the attack in which her right arm was severed. Her case has sparked an official protest from India over the "brutal" attack. Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said on Twitter said: "Chopping of (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. This is unacceptable. We have taken this up with Saudi authorities.“

Her right hand was chopped off by her employer when she tried to escape the daily harassment, torture and abysmal work conditions

Victim’s sister, S. Vijayakumari

The latest incident comes weeks after relations between the two countries were soured by the case of a New Delhi-based Saudi diplomat who was accused of repeatedly raping his servants. Ms Munirathinam, who comes from a village in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, went to Saudi Arabia to help pay off her family’s debts and was promised a monthly salary of about $180. But she endured a catalogue of abuse since taking up a post as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia three months ago, according to her family. Her sister, S. Vijayakumari said:  "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.”

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

Indian foreign ministry spokesman

saudi maid Middle East