Indian worker in Italy left to die with severed arm
Italian police arrested the owner of an agricultural company that hired Satnam Singh, a 31-year-old Indian worker who was abandoned on the road without medical attention after his arm was severed by heavy field gear, resulting in his death in Latina, south of Rome. Singh was from Punjab, and his killing provoked widespread outcry among Indians in Italy.
It took Italian police over a fortnight to apprehend the employer. Singh died two days later after being involved in an accident on a farm in Italy on June 17.
Italian police arrested Antonello Lovato, the alleged gangmaster, on suspicion of causing Singh’s death, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Singh had traveled to Italy with his wife and was cutting hay when the machine severed his arm. To make matters worse, he was working illegally on a farm in Italy. His employers loaded him into a vehicle and “dumped” him like a “bag of rubbish near his home” along with his severed hand.
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Singh died on June 19 at a Rome hospital
Lovato reportedly abandoned Singh and his wife on the side of the road without seeking immediate medical attention. Singh was eventually discovered and transported to a Rome hospital, where he died on June 19 of heavy bleeding, two days after the tragedy, far from his village in Moga, Punjab.
Prosecutors believe Singh could have survived if he had received prompt medical care. The incident has highlighted the issue of gangmastering and the exploitation of migrant workers in Italy.
Gurmukh Singh, head of the Lazio Indian community, expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of assistance provided to Singh.
“The worst thing Lovato did was abandon him outside his home instead of getting him to the hospital. “An accident can happen, but failing to seek medical attention is unacceptable,” Gurmukh Singh told ANSA news agency.
Meanwhile, Singh’s widow Soni, who was treated for shock following the tragedy, was granted a special ‘justice’ stay visa, thus ending her unlawful status in Italy, according to PTI.
On June 26, India demanded that Italy take quick action against those responsible for Satnam Singh’s killing.
