In a shocking revelation, two Indian nationals have been arrested for allegedly enslaving 33 Indian farm laborers in Italy’s Verona province. The arrest comes on the heels of the tragic death of a Sikh farm worker, which had already cast a spotlight on the exploitation of migrant laborers in the country.
The finance police seized assets worth 475,000 euros from the suspects, who are the owners of two agricultural companies. According to the ANSA news agency, these companies had no employees officially on the books and were total tax evaders. The two suspects, now under investigation, face serious charges including enslavement and labor exploitation.
The arrests underscore a broader issue of modern slavery and labor exploitation in Italy, particularly in the agricultural sector. The recent death of 31-year-old Sikh laborer Satnam Singh brought this issue to the forefront of public consciousness. Singh bled to death last month after a strawberry wrapping machine severed his arm in Lazio, near Rome. His employer allegedly abandoned him, leading to his demise from “copious bleeding.”
Following Singh’s death, there was a call for justice from various quarters. On June 26, the Indian government urged Italy to take swift action against those responsible for Singh’s tragic end. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also condemned the incident, describing it as an “inhuman act” and emphasizing that such barbarity does not reflect Italian values. She called for stringent punishment for those involved.
Gangmastering and the exploitation of migrant farm laborers are longstanding issues in Italy, particularly in the southern regions. The town of Latina, for instance, is home to thousands of immigrant laborers, many of them Sikhs, who work under harsh conditions for the local ‘agro-mafia’. These workers, often subjected to violence and severe exploitation, pick fruits and vegetables that supply the local market.
The problem is exacerbated by the increase in workplace accidents. According to the workplace accident insurance agency INAIL, fatal accidents in Italy rose to 268 in the first four months of this year.
The arrests in Verona and the tragic death of Satnam Singh highlight the urgent need for reforms and stricter enforcement of labor laws to protect vulnerable migrant workers from exploitation and abuse.
