Fish vendor beaten for seeking break from work in Oman

An Indian fish vendor in Duqm was severely beaten up by relatives of his employer for seeking rest after long hours of selling fish. "I began selling fish from the early hours on Monday, winding up at around 7pm," Jefferson told Gulf News from Duqm, 450km south of Muscat. However, as the Indian fish seller was leaving for the day, a new supply arrived. His employer asked Jefferson to continue selling. "I requested him to let me go as I was too tired after a long day," he said through an interpreter as he only speaks the Malayalam language. Instead of letting him go, the employer's cousin beat him up. The dispute between Jefferson and his employer continued the next day. "When they started beating me up next day again, I ran to the Duqm police station," said the Indian expatriate, who arrived in Oman from the Kollam district in India's southern state of Kerala only four months ago. He was taken to the police station by a Pakistani national, but their vehicle was intercepted on the way by the employer's cousin and three others. "After that the employer's cousin and the others accompanying them thrashed me black and blue with camel sticks and didn't even spare the Pakistani," Jefferson added. He was admitted to hospital. "The hospital staff called in police and he was taken to the Duqm police station after treatment," P. M. Jabir, Indian Social Club Welfare Secretary, told Gulf News. He said the police had registered a complaint against the people who beat up Jefferson. "The police summoned the perpetrators of the ruthless act against a helpless expatriate but they didn't turn up so far," he added. Too afraid According to Jabir the Malayalam-speaking fish seller had to be asked to leave the police station after the formalities were completed as he was scared of stepping out of the station for fear of being beaten up again. Jabir has asked the Indian embassy to intervene and get in touch with the police in Duqm and save Jefferson from further beating at the hands of his employer and his cousins. "So far there has been no reply from the Community Welfare Attaché at the Indian embassy to my request," he said. The Community Welfare Attaché at the Indian embassy did not answer phone calls by Gulf News.