An off-the-books 31-year-old worker from Punjab, Satnam Singh’s arm was severed by heavy farm machinery, and he was dumped on the road, bleeding, and without medical attention which eventually ended up by causing his death in Latina, south of Rome.
The death of an Indian National Satnam Singh has sparked protests in Italy over Labour issues & infamous "caporalato" system. The 31-yr-old farm laborer, died after his limbs were crushed while working in a farm near Latina, South East of Rome.pic.twitter.com/UKUkLpa3xK
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) June 23, 2024
Satnam Singh’s death has sparked a massive protests by Indians in Italy. Singh met with the accident on the farm in Italy on June 17 and died two days later. Italy Police in Italy have arrested Antonello Lovato, the owner of an agricultural company, for manslaughter over the death of 31-year-old Satnam Singh. It took Italy’s police over a fortnight to arrest the employer.
Singh, who had travelled to Italy with his wife, was cutting hay when the machine severed his arm. What made matters worse was that he was working illegally on a farm in Italy. His employers put him in a truck and “dumped” him like a “bag of rubbish near his home”, along with his severed hand.
Lovato allegedly left Singh and his wife by the side of the road without seeking immediate medical help. Singh was eventually found and airlifted to a Rome hospital, where he died on June 19 from excessive bleeding, far from his village in Moga, Punjab, two days after the incident.
Prosecutors believe Singh could have survived if he had received prompt medical attention.
Gurmukh Singh, president of the Lazio Indian community, expressed anger over the lack of assistance provided to Singh.
“The worst thing (Lovato) did was to leave him outside his home instead of taking him to hospital. An accident can happen, but not calling for medical assistance is unacceptable,” Gurmukh Singh was quoted as saying ANSA news agency.
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, reported PTI.
On June 26, India requested Italy to take swift action against those responsible for Satnam Singh’s death.
Muktesh Pardeshi, Secretary (CPV & OIA), expressed India’s “deep concern” about Singh’s death to Luigi Maria Vignali, the Director General for Italian Citizens Abroad and Migration Policies, according to a post by the Indian Embassy in Italy on X.
“Called for prompt action against those responsible. Embassy is in contact with the family of Satnam Singh for consular help & transportation of mortal remains,”Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated last month that Singh, one of thousands of Indian immigrants working in Italian fields, was a victim of “inhuman acts”. She condemned the actions and hoped for harsh punishment for those involved.
Italy’s Minister of Labour, Marina Calderone, called Singh’s death an “act of barbarity”.
Opposition 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Giuseppe Conte urged Meloni to combat brutal gangmastering.
“You lose your arm while you’re working in the fields for four euros an hour. You’re not immediately treated. They put you in a van, and they dump you like rubbish outside your home,” Conte wrote on X.
“Beside you, a strawberry basket in which your severed arm is left. You bleed out and die. It sounds like the story of a slave centuries ago. We can’t close our eyes, we can’t think about making profits while cancelling the dignity of work and the last shreds of humanity,” the post added.
Conte pledged to address these issues in parliament and stressed the need to eliminate such barbarities from fields across Italy.
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