By Hu Yongqi

Three men with knives and shovels attacked a farmer in Central China's Hubei province after he tried to claim wages owed to him for five months.

The 33-year-old farmer, surnamed Gao from Xishui county, had worked for a private contractor surnamed Xia. But Xia did not pay him his wages of 5,000 yuan (S$1013) after the project was completed.

After the attack, Gao underwent surgery at the Wuhan No. 5 Hospital on Nov. 25, then left the hospital. The tendons in one of his hands had been cut.

The hospital told China Daily that Gao will recover from the injury, but it is hard to say how long it will be before the hand recovers its functions and agility.

This is the second recent case in which migrant workers were injured while claiming their defaulted wages from employers. Earlier this month, about 20 migrant workers were attacked with shovels and knives.

Xia Xueluan, professor in sociology at Peking University, said migrant workers are a disadvantaged group whose interests should be protected. Authorities should impose more severe punishment on the employers who took advantage of migrants, he said.

Xia said migrant workers should form an organization to demand defaulted wages.