Armed gang loot grocery store in Saththurukkondaan

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 October 2008, 18:24 GMT]
Unidentified men associated with paramilitary groups robbed a retail grocery store located in Sathurukkondaan, Batticaloa district run by a married woman last Sunday, according to a complaint lodged at Batticaloa police by the victim.

L.Yogesawry, with two children and abandoned by her mentally ill husband, was running a small scale grocery store in Thannamunai colony, when the store was completely looted by armed men resulting in a loss of nearly Rs.75,000.

The woman working as a cook in American Mission located in Oo'ra'ni, Batticaloa was running the grocery store to supplement her income, with a loan from Batticaloa Working Women Development Foundation (BWWDF).

Since the men involved in the robbery are supporters of the paramilitary groups operating in Batticaloa she lodged a complaint at Batticaloa police, unable to talk to any one else, Yogeswary said.

BWWDF provides loans to widows and women abandoned by their husbands.

96 women from eight villages have been provided with small scale loan by BWWDF.