London: A 31-year-old Indian worker died after he was dumped on the road without medical assistance by his employer after his arm was severed by heavy farm machinery.
Following the incident, India on Wednesday asked Italy to take prompt action against those responsible for the death of the worker.
Muktesh Pardeshi, Secretary [CPV & OIA], conveyed to Luigi Maria Vignali, the Director General for Italian Citizens Abroad and Migration Policies, India’s “deep concern” about the death of Satnam Singh, the Indian Embassy in Italy said in a post on X on Wednesday.
He “called for prompt action against those responsible. Embassy is in contact with the family of Satnam Singh for consular help & transportation of mortal remains,” the mission added.
During the communications in the Chamber ahead of the European Council, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday recalled “the horrible and inhuman death of Satnam Singh”, ANSA news agency reported.
When Meloni recalled the death of Singh all the deputies present in the Chamber stood up and applauded.
Minister Tajani, after getting up, told the prime minister: “I asked for visas for the family”. “Bravo,” Meloni replied.
Last week, Meloni had said that Singh, one of thousands of Indian immigrants who work the fields in the country, was the victim of “inhuman acts”.
“These are inhumane acts that do not belong to the Italian people. I hope that this barbarity will be punished harshly,” she said following a Cabinet meeting last week.
Singh, who was abandoned by his employer after a strawberry wrapping machine severed his arm in Latina, died last week due to “copious bleeding”, ANSA reported separately, citing initial results of an autopsy.
He died in a hospital in Rome two days later after being airlifted there when he was eventually found. He died because he lost so much blood that he couldn’t recover from his injuries, the Italian news agency reported on Friday.
Doctors tried in vain to save Singh’s life for two days.
The death of the Sikh farm hand has spurred outrage at gangmastering, which is widespread in Italy, especially in the south of the country, and modern forms of slavery.
Singh lost his arm when it was trapped in a plastic fruit wrapping machine.
His employer, Antonello Lovato, loaded him and his wife into a van and left them by the side of the road near their home, the report said.
Singh’s severed arm was placed in a fruit crate.
His employer has been charged with negligent manslaughter.
Meanwhile, Singh’s widow Soni, who was treated for shock after the incident, received a special ‘justice’ stay permit to end her illegal status in Italy, Ansa reported on Friday.
Italy’s Minister of Labour, Marina Calderone, said the death of Singh had been an “act of barbarity”.
(With inputs from PTI)
