Unacceptable says India after Saudi employer chops off woman's hand

“We are very much disturbed over the brutal manner in which the Indian lady has been treated in Saudi Arabia” Swaraj said Friday.

The Minister said the Indian embassy is in touch with the victim 55-year-old Kasturi Munirathinam.

Condemning the incident in strong words Swaraj said on twitter “This is unacceptable. We have taken this up with Saudi authorities.”

India has demanded that a case of attempted murder be lodged against the culprit.

The familyof Kasturiworking as a domestic help in Saudi Arabia alleged that her right hand was chopped off by her employer when she tried to escape harassment and torture.

According to her sister S Vijayakumari she went to Saudi Arabia to work as a domestic help three months ago.

'When she tried to escape harassment and torture her right hand was chopped off by the woman employer. She sustained serious spinal injuries' Vijayakumari said.'The Kasturi's employer was angered after she apprised local officials about the harassment she was facing there. She was not even provided food.'

The family learnt about the incident from 'agents who sent her to Saudi' Vijayakumari said

'Kasturi is now in a hospital in Riyadh in serious condition. Our appeal is please bring her back home immediately and help in her treatment' she said.

A spokesperson in the external affairs ministry said: “This is a very unfortunate and most condemnable incident. Our Embassy in Riyadh has taken up the matter with the Saudi Foreign Office and asked for strict action in the matter and severe punishment for the sponsor. We have also sought an independent probe into the incident and urged that a case of attempted murder be lodged against the sponsor so that he is punished if found guilty as per law.”

In September a Saudi diplomat was accused of holding captive beating and repeatedly raping two Nepali women hired as domestic servants in his luxury apartment near New Delhi in India.

A CCTV footage of the diplomat's apartment showed many people visiting the apartment.According to the two rape survivors who are now back in Nepal while the men took turns to rape them the diplomat's wife and daughter never came to their rescue.

Amid wide media coverage and protests condemning his act in India and Nepal the diplomat left India under diplomatic immunity.

Many young women from India Nepal Bangladesh Pakistan SriLanka and the Philippines are being lured to the Gulf with the false promise of jobs but are abused and illegally hired out for a few thousand dirhams or riyals by unscrupulous agents.

Among the Gulf countries United Arab Emirates and especially Dubai is the main destination where housemaids are sold for between Dh7000 ($1905) and Dh9000 ($2450) for a monthly wage of Dh500 ($136) to Dh800 ($217). Wages are never given on time and they are withheld for months for no reason.

Besides being denied regular salary these women face threats deprivation of food and sleep and physical or sexual abuse.

Many tortured domestic workers finally land in hospitals with spinal cord and back injuries from botched escape attempts or attempted suicide from high-rise residential buildings.