Another Indian woman worker dies of alleged torture in Saudi

HYDERABAD: A 25-year old Indian woman, hailing from Hyderabad, who had been working in Saudi Arabia as a maid servant, allegedly died of torture at the hands of her employer a few days ago, it has been widely reported. Similar reports of harassment of Indians in Saudi Arabia has become very common. In another incident, a hapless woman's limbs were cut off by her employer and thrown out of the house recently.

The victim in the latest incident, Asima Khatoon, was reportedly kept there illegally after her visa expired. She had asked her relatives to rescue her a few weeks ago. She had complained of severe mental and physical torture. Asima wanted them to bring her back.

The Telangana Government on a complaint had approached the Ministry of External Affairs to rescue her but that was too late. Now the Telangana police is asking the Saudi embassy for details of her death. According to the police, she worked there for 4 months and later fell ill and died.

The Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Vikas Swarup, said on Monday, "On receipt of information, our Embassy in Riyadh sent one of its officials to King Saud Chest Disease Hospital, Riyadh, one of the reputed hospitals for TB, today. He was told by the Mortuary In-charge that she was admitted in the Hospital on 27 of last month and later on shifted to the ICU. The death was due to natural reasons and he was informed that all the requisite documents have been handed over to the sponsor for submission to the Embassy."