Indian migrant worker tortured to death

I cannot believe a human being can brutally inflict such torture and degrade another person to such an extent. Just like I cannot believe the gruesome murder of a Mongolian beauty whose body was blown to bits. Malaysia, I weep, for thou.

R Ganesh, 28, from Tamil Nadu, allegedly tortured and starved by his Malaysian employer, has died !

Reports said Ganesh, who had come to Malaysia to work, had allegedly been beaten up by his employer and his family in their factory in Penang state, scalded the youth with hot water and chained him up without food for several days before dumping him in the jungles of Kedah. He had to work from 8 am to midnight each day and was not given any day off or proper food for the past eight months.

"They hit me with sticks, rubber hose and iron rod. I was also deprived of food and water. They chained my hands and legs before locking me up in a dark room in their house every night," he was quoted as saying.

Authorities had detained his employer, who owns a sauce factory, and his wife for investigations into voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Ganesh. But now police have re-classified the case as murder following his death.

According to New Straits Times, the three suspects in the case had previously been accused of abusing their Indonesian maid by pouring hot water on her. The couple and their son had allegedly mistreated the maid in 2005. However, the case was settled amicably after they allegedly paid off the maid and sent her home.

Thousands of Indians sell their land and pawn their family's property to pay the job agents to find them a job here. However, their dreams are often shattered when they realise that they have been duped by the agents and the promised job and salary do not materialise

The Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur is waiting for the decision of the family of migrant worker R. Ganesh on whether to conduct funeral arrangements for him here or to send the body back to his village.

Deputy Indian High Commissioner Nagendra Kumar Saxsena said yesterday that the commission had already informed the family in India and was waiting for their permission to take the body from the hospital.

"Ganesh’s family members are in a state of shock after being told of his death here," he said. "They want to know how he died. They want justice."