Two Indian nationals arrested in Italy for enslaving 33 countrymen on farms
The Hindu
Two Indian nationals arrested for enslaving 33 farm labourers in Italy, sparking outrage over modern slavery and exploitation.
Two Indian nationals have been arrested for allegedly enslaving 33 farm labourers, all from India, in Italy’s Verona Province, according to a media report, weeks after the country was shocked by the tragic death of a Sikh farm worker who bled to death.
Finance police also seized assets worth 4,75,000 euros from the suspects, who own two agricultural sector companies with no employees on the books and are allegedly total tax evaders, ANSA news agency reported on July 13.
The two alleged gangmasters were arrested on July 13 and are under investigation for crimes, including enslavement and labour exploitation, the Italian news agency said.
The issue of modern forms of slavery in Italy recently came to the fore of media attention following the case of 31-year-old Sikh farm labourer Satnam Singh, who bled to death after being abandoned by his employer after a strawberry wrapping machine severed his arm in Lazio, near Rome, last month.
Singh, who was an Indian national, died due to “copious bleeding”, the ANSA news agency earlier reported.
On June 26, India asked Italy to take prompt action against those responsible for Singh’s death.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said last month that Singh, one of thousands of Indian immigrants who work the fields in the country, was the victim of “inhuman acts”.