Indian dumped to die in Italy with severed arm, employer arrested after two weeks

Italian police have arrested the owner of an agricultural company that employed Satnam Singh, an off-the-books 31-year-old Indian worker who was dumped on the road without medical assistance after his arm was severed by heavy farm machinery, causing his death in Latina, south of Rome. Singh was from Punjab and his death sparked massive protests by Indians in Italy.

It took Italy’s police over a fortnight to arrest the employer. Singh met with the accident on the farm in Italy on June 17 and died two days later.

Italian police arrested the alleged gangmaster, Antonello Lovato, on suspicion of causing Singh’s manslaughter, reported Italian news agency ANSA.

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. The incident has drawn attention to the issue of gangmastering and the exploitation of migrant labourers in Italy.

Gurmukh Singh, president of the Lazio Indian community, expressed anger over the lack of assistance provided to Singh.