Employer Chopped Off Maid's Arm

A Saudi employer chopped off the right arm of an Indian domestic worker after she complained to police that the employer was mistreating her, the woman's sister said Friday.

Kasthuri Munirathinam, 58, was employed by a Saudi household in Riyadh three months ago, her sister S. Vijayakumari told CNN on the phone from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Vijayakumari said the family was told about the attack on September 30.

According to Vijayakumari, Munirathinam's employer cut off her arm after she told local police that
she was being mistreated, not being paid and not given enough food.

The Indian government has complained to Saudi Arabia about the incident.

Saudi Arabia has come under harsh criticism for the treatment of domestic workers in the kingdom, as frequent reports emerge about the abuse of maids working in vulnerable domestic environments.

And last month, a Saudi diplomat working in his country's embassy in New Delhi left India after being accused of sexually assaulting -- and facilitating gang rapes -- of two Nepali domestic helpers who worked for him.

Earlier this year, Indonesia banned its citizens from working as domestic helpers in 21 countries, including Saudi Arabia.

Two Indonesian maids were executed by beheading in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, after murder convictions that were questioned by rights groups.