Indian workers protest against colleagues' arrest

Dubai, Dec 13 (UNI) Over a hundred Indian workers agitated in front of the Indian embassy in Kuwait to protest the arrest of 29 of their colleagues, allegedly for filing a case against their company for non-payment of salaries and breach of work contract. Four armed policemen on Tuesday raided the apartment of the workers, assaulted and arrested 29 workers allegedly in retaliation for a case they filed two months ago against the company for the non-payment of wages, breach of contract and other malpractices, the Arab Times Daily said.

The report said the Indian embassy filed a case against the company at the Labour Court.

The protesters said yesterday the company also failed to provide them with comfortable living quarters. They earlier staged a demonstration to demand a suitable accommodation wherein the embassy intervened and rented an apartment for them. for the last two months, the workers have been staying in the apartment rented by the embassy at around Rs 50,000 a month.

Some of the employees said they wanted to go back home as there was no use working without a salary. They also disclosed that some of them did not receive their salaries for one year while others for seven months.

When asked why the workers were arrested, Attorney Naser Bader Al-Mutairi, the workers' lawyer, said the company filed cases of absconding against the workers and told police that the workers were carrying expired residence permits.

The report added that the Embassy sent its lawyer and officials to the police station to secure the release of the 29 workers.

UNI