An alarming incident has been reported from the Chilaw–Bangadeniya area, where a woman was allegedly tied to a tree and assaulted by a group of cooperative officers near the Bangadeniya branch of the Chilaw Various Services Cooperative Society Limited.
The victim, a mother of three, has been admitted to the Chilaw General Hospital for treatment following the assault.
According to local residents, the woman had been operating a small business behind a private building at the Bangadeniya junction for several years. Recently, the Chilaw Various Services Cooperative Society purchased the property, but despite the ownership transfer, she had not vacated the premises.
Eyewitnesses claim that after a discussion regarding the matter, the General Manager of the Chilaw Various Services Cooperative Society, along with a group of employees, arrived at the location, forcibly tied the woman to a tree, and assaulted her.
However, when questioned about the incident, Sarath Wijesinghe, Chairman of the Chilaw Various Services Cooperative Society, denied the allegations. He stated that the woman was attempting to unlawfully occupy land belonging to the cooperative and insisted that no assault had taken place.
Authorities are yet to comment on the matter, and further investigations are expected.
