Housemaid has her hand chopped off by female Saudi Arabian employer after complaining to authorities she had been tortured and deprived of food

An Indian housemaid had her hand hacked off allegedly by her female employer in Saudi Arabi after she complained she was been deprived of food.

Kasturi Munirathinam, originally from the south Indian city of Chennai, had been earning £150 a month while working as a cleaner for a household in the Saudi capital.

Since she started working in Riyadh, she said she had been tortured and deliberately deprived of food by her employers.

Her family said that when Ms Munirathinam tried to escape, her employer decided to punish her and cut off her hand.  

'When she tried to escape harassment and torture, her right hand was chopped off by the woman employer. She fell down and sustained serious spinal injuries,' her sister, S Vijayakumari, told the Press Trust of India. 

Ms Munirathinam was taken to hospital in Riyadh and her condition has now reportedly stabilised.

A video has emerged on social media, allegedly showing the moments after Ms Munirathinam was attacked.

Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup has spoken out against the attack on the Indian woman, telling the Indian Express that India had launched an investigation into the attack and will 'continue to seek justice for the victim'.

'Our embassy in Riyadh has taken up the matter with the Saudi Foreign Office and asked for strict action in the matter and severe punishment for the sponsor,' he said.

He said a case of attempted murder should be lodged against the sponsor 'so that he is punished, if found guilty as per law.'