India raises issue of chopping of Indian maid's hand with Saudi Arabia

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Friday expressed in strong words her condemnation of an incident in Saudi Arabia in which an Indian woman’s right hand was chopped off by her employer.

“This is unacceptable. We have taken this up with Saudi authorities,” Sushma tweeted.

The foreign minister added that the incident was unacceptable and that the embassy was in touch with the victim.

A Saudi sponsor has chopped off an Indian maid's hand, evoking strong condemnation from India which demanded that a case of attempted murder be lodged against the culprit.

"We are aware of the plight of Kashturi Munirathinam, a domestic help who has suffered serious injuries allegedly inflicted by her Saudi Arabian sponsor. This is a very unfortunate and most condemnable incident,” the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry had said Thursday.

"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 in 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," he said.

Munirathinam is currently being looked after in a Saudi hospital, he said.

"India also proposes to take up this issue in the JWG on Labour Matters with Saudi Arabia which will be held in New Delhi on October 12-13 and is the established institutional mechanism for such matters," the Spokesperson said, adding, "We will continue to seek justice for the victim."

Asked about an update on the condition of three Indians including two teachers, abducted near war-torn Libya and held hostage by the Islamic militant group ISIS, the Spokesperson said they have received a video evidence of their being "alive" as recent as September 27 and they were making all efforts to secure their release.

He also said that there was no ransom demand for their release.