A 31-year-old Indian farm labourer
who died after his arm was severed by packing machinery this
week could have been helped by was instead dumped outside his
home at Latina south of Rome by his gangmaster employer who then
fled the scene, the two young Italians who were hosting him said
Thursday.
Satnam Singh was left outside the house and his arm was placed
in a strawberry picking box beside him. The case has spurred
outrage about gangmasters' often brutal treatment of largely
migrant farm hands slaving away for a pittance in Italy.
"We heard his wife's screams who kept calling for help, then we
saw a lad who was holding him in his arms and who carried him
into the house," said Noemi Grifo and Ilario Pepe, owners of the
house.
"We thought he was helping him, but then he ran away.
"I ran after him," continued Pepe, "and I saw him get into a van
and I asked him what had happened and why he hadn't taken him to
hospital.
"He replied 'he's not on the books as a regular employee'.
"Satnam could have been helped".
The owner of the fruit and vegetable picking firm, and Satnam's
employer, Antonello Lovato, may face gangmastering and
manslaughter charges, Latina police have said.
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