BATHINDA: The death of 31-year-old farm labourer Satnam Singh from Punjab’s Moga district after his employer abandoned him when his arm was severed at work in Lazio, near Rome, in Italy has left his family members back home in Chand Naw village in a state of shock, anger and disbelief even as they wait for his mortal remains and justice to be delivered.
Residing in a small semi-pucca house in the village, the poor Dalit family – comprising Satnam’s elderly parents Gurmukh Singh and Jasbir Kaur, elder brother Amritpal Singh and an unmarried sister – said although they are receiving a lot of calls and messages from individuals and associations of Indians in Italy assuring them justice, neither the Italian nor the Indian government has made any contact with them.They felt that such inhumane treatment was meted out to Satnam as he had not gone abroad in a legal manner but by raising loans and paying money to travel agents.
“Nearly four years ago, we had taken loans and borrowed money from relatives to send Satnam to Italy through a travel agent. The travel agency had sent both men and women in a group. Satnam was working in a vegetable field, but we do not know the name of the city. We were hoping that as he has spent four years, he might soon complete the paperwork to get full residency status,” said Amritpal, who spent nearly 10 years in Saudi Arabia and Qatar and is now making arrangements to get the mortal remains of his brother back. Amritpal also has been in touch with a score of groups in Italy who are approaching the govt authorities and even planning protests.
Demanding justice and strict punishment for Satnam’s employer who could have saved him instead of abandoning him after his arm was severed by heavy farm machinery, Amritpal said, “We have been told that his employer had not been treating him well. Satnam also had a fracture in his leg. We want our parents to be taken to Italy to see the place where Satnam was dumped and to meet his employer,” said Amritpal.
Satnam’s mother Jasbir Kaur said that she had last talked to him on June 16 and had no contact with him since then. “We were told on June 17 that he had sustained injuries and about his death on June 19,” she said.
The family also has no idea about the woman, who in Italian media, claimed to be Satnam’s wife. “Satnam had gone alone. He had never told us about his marriage. He might have been in a live-in relationship,” said the family members.
Harpreet Singh, sarpanch, Chand Nawa, which has a population of over 5,000 and 2,950 voters, with a majority of population of Scheduled Caste families, told TOI that the entire village was shocked to know about the tragic incident. The villagers want justice and compensation for the poor family. “The central govt should act to ensure the mortal remains are brought at the earliest and punishment meted out to the accused. We are trying to make contact with chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Central govt authorities in helping out the family in every way,” he said.
A number of youths take the illegal route to migrate to various countries. The craze for certain countries mainly the USA and some countries in Europe is so strong that people spend fortunes even to take the donkey route by risking their lives to somehow reach their desired destinations.
Residing in a small semi-pucca house in the village, the poor Dalit family – comprising Satnam’s elderly parents Gurmukh Singh and Jasbir Kaur, elder brother Amritpal Singh and an unmarried sister – said although they are receiving a lot of calls and messages from individuals and associations of Indians in Italy assuring them justice, neither the Italian nor the Indian government has made any contact with them.They felt that such inhumane treatment was meted out to Satnam as he had not gone abroad in a legal manner but by raising loans and paying money to travel agents.
“Nearly four years ago, we had taken loans and borrowed money from relatives to send Satnam to Italy through a travel agent. The travel agency had sent both men and women in a group. Satnam was working in a vegetable field, but we do not know the name of the city. We were hoping that as he has spent four years, he might soon complete the paperwork to get full residency status,” said Amritpal, who spent nearly 10 years in Saudi Arabia and Qatar and is now making arrangements to get the mortal remains of his brother back. Amritpal also has been in touch with a score of groups in Italy who are approaching the govt authorities and even planning protests.
Demanding justice and strict punishment for Satnam’s employer who could have saved him instead of abandoning him after his arm was severed by heavy farm machinery, Amritpal said, “We have been told that his employer had not been treating him well. Satnam also had a fracture in his leg. We want our parents to be taken to Italy to see the place where Satnam was dumped and to meet his employer,” said Amritpal.
Satnam’s mother Jasbir Kaur said that she had last talked to him on June 16 and had no contact with him since then. “We were told on June 17 that he had sustained injuries and about his death on June 19,” she said.
The family also has no idea about the woman, who in Italian media, claimed to be Satnam’s wife. “Satnam had gone alone. He had never told us about his marriage. He might have been in a live-in relationship,” said the family members.
Harpreet Singh, sarpanch, Chand Nawa, which has a population of over 5,000 and 2,950 voters, with a majority of population of Scheduled Caste families, told TOI that the entire village was shocked to know about the tragic incident. The villagers want justice and compensation for the poor family. “The central govt should act to ensure the mortal remains are brought at the earliest and punishment meted out to the accused. We are trying to make contact with chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Central govt authorities in helping out the family in every way,” he said.
A number of youths take the illegal route to migrate to various countries. The craze for certain countries mainly the USA and some countries in Europe is so strong that people spend fortunes even to take the donkey route by risking their lives to somehow reach their desired destinations.
Source Agencies
