Kin of Tamil Nadu maid, stuck in Saudi, dismiss ‘mental disturbance’ claim

Vellore/Chennai: The family of an Indian woman domestic help, whose hand was allegedly chopped off by her employer in Saudi Arabia, has dismissed as "lies and conspiracy" the claim of police in the Kingdom that she was suffering from "mental disturbances".

"Such claims are plain lies and conspiracy," M Mohan, son of 55-year-old Kasturi Munirathinam said from Vellore, her native place, reacting to the claim of the Saudi employer.

The family has alleged that the woman's right hand was chopped off by her Saudi employer when she tried to escape "harassment and torture" and sought the intervention of Tamil Nadu and Central governments to bring her back home.

However, Saudi Police has said she was suffering from "mental disturbances" and tried to flee her sponsor's house.

They had claimed that her hand was amputated as a result of her fall from a residential building during her bid to escape.

Questioning the claims, Mohan said: "She was absolutely fine, she was certified by competent medical authorities that she is fit both mentally and physically (a mandatory requirement for overseas jobs). "I want the experts to say if somebody could lose their arm if they fall down," he said.

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Mohan claimed that his mother, who went to Saudi Arabia three months ago, had prior to the incident, expressed apprehensions that something could happen to her. "She said something could happen to her…she narrated torture by her employer... I spoke with my mother over phone even recently and I know for sure that their claim (of mental disturbance) is false," he said.

Kasturi's sister S Vijayakumari, who resides in Chennai, asked, "If what they claim is true, why did not the employer notify the authorities about her mental disturbance and send her back?"

"For about three months she worked there, during that period there was no such claim. The truth is my sister endured torture, harassment and she was not even provided food, then when she tried to escape torture her right hand was chopped off by her employer," she charged.

"The whole world knows that for overseas employment it is mandatory to be medically fit (both mental and physical) without which no employer would arrange a visa."

"In their effort to end the case in Saudi employer's favour, they have spun stories like that of mental disturbances," she said.

Mohan and Vijayakumari urged the Central and State governments to bring back Kasturi to Tamil Nadu as soon as possible. Both of them requested the government to get adequate compensation from Saudi authorities. They also appealed to the Central and state governments to extend all support for her further treatment.

According to them, the alleged attack by Kasturi's employer occurred on the intervening night of September 29-30. India has lodged a strong protest with Saudi Arabia over the incident and demanded a probe.