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Old rape allegation supposedly prompts attack on Fashion Bug
View(s):Temple premises used to launch attack , BBS denies responsibility and Army called in to restore order
By Damith Wickremasekara
Shortly after dusk on Friday, a mob armed with clubs, stormed a heavy machinery hiring place in Pepiliyana, Boralesgamuwa, set fire to its administrative office and went on to damage some of the equipment within. “It was around 8 p.m. The mob broke through the gate and started attacking the place. They shouted that they were attacking the place as one of the workers was involved in a rape”, the establishment’s manager Mohamed Murshid told the Sunday Times.
Clothes that had been strewn outside the shop premises being taken back inside by Army personnel
“The mob was referring to an incident which had taken place a few weeks back, where one of the workers had an affair with a girl from a neighbouring house”.”Following an allegation of rape, the suspect worker was handed over to the police on Tuesday, and is in remand custody,” he said.
Acting on a complaint lodged by the girl’s father, the Boralesgamuwa Police had arrested the suspect on a charge of rape, as the girl was underage. The youth had claimed they had an affair. The attackers, while leaving after the attack, had reportedly shouted that the rape had taken place in the store room of the administrative building of ‘Fashion Bug’, situated about a kilometre away.
As the gang headed towards Pepiliyana junction, the bells of Sunethra Mahadevi Pirivena were rung by another group gathered at the temple premises, eyewitnesses said. The temple’s Chief incumbent Ven Dr. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thera, who is also a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sri Jayawardhanapura, was away.
As more people gathered and some joined the mob which had carried out the previous attack, they went on to attack the administrative building of Fashion Bug. Some stormed the store room and pulled out stocks of garments readied for distribution to their 18 outlets for the New Year season.
The mob pelted stones at the parked vehicles. At least four persons were injured in the attack which lasted for more than half-an-hour.
“The situation seemed chaotic, with police having difficulty controlling the crowd. Some of the attackers were targeting the media, particularly video-cameramen,” our photographer Indika Handuwala said.
He said a section of the mob was pelting stones from inside the temple precincts, while others threw stones from the road.
“I noticed a video-cameraman seriously injured, and as he was bleeding badly he was rushed to hospital,” he said.
The Army was also called in.
‘The attackers turned abusive at the employees, not allowing them to leave for some time,” an eyewitness said. Earlier in the day Ven. Dr Abhayatissa had said some of the devotees of his temple had spoken to him about the rape incident. “I advised them to await police action as the matter was under investigation by them,” he had said.
“When I was away from the temple, some persons had gathered at the temple and rung the bells, instigating the people and attacking the Fashion Bug complex opposite the temple,” the Thera said. Dr. Abhayatissa denied any link between the temple and the attack. “We do not condone such attacks. It should not have happened,” he said.
Clothes thrown here and there on the main road
He said that Fashion Bug had no connection with the alleged rape case. “It is the duty of the law enforcement agencies to find out who is responsible for the attack”, he said. The Bodu Bala Sena Organisation (BBSO) which been campaigning for the protection of Buddhism also denied any link with the incident.
BBSO secretary Ven. Galabodaatte Gnanasara Thera said his organisaton had been falsely blamed for this incident. “We do not condone such incidents. We have asked the Inspector General of Police to arrest those responsible for this incident,” he added. “We are told that persons dressed in monks’ robes were present, and the police should identify these persons too, and take action,” he said.
Western Province Senior Deputy Inspector General Anura Senanayake told the Sunday Times that an investigation had been launched into the attack. He said that OICs of the Boralesgamuwa and Mirihana police stations are carrying out investigations.
“We are making use of the available CCTV footage and other camera evidence to identify persons responsible for the attack,” he said.
The DIG said the attack had taken place three days after the police had acted on the alleged rape. “Therefore, we believe that the attack had been carried out by an organised group to deliberately create a disturbance,” he said.
“We will not tolerate any person trying to create religious or ethnic tension. The police will deal strictly with them,” the DIG said.
The damaged exterior of the Fashion Bug building. Pix by Indika Handuwala
Four suspects arrested
Four persons allegedly involved in the attack on the Fashion Bug store in Pepiliyana were remanded until Tuesday after being produced before Nugegoda Acting Magistrate Tissa Wijeratne.
They included a businessman, owner of a communication shop and an employee of the Dehiwala – Mount Lavinia Municipal council.
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