Candy floss vendor beaten

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 March 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A young candy floss vendor was hospitalised after being severely beaten at Sirupiddy SLA checkpoint in Atchuvely, 12 km north of Jaffna town around 4:30 p.m. yesterday by soldiers, who suspected that one of them had been poisoned by the sweet, said sources in Jaffna.

The boy, Ganesh Ranjan (19) of Nelliyadi, had sold the candy floss at the checkpoint an hour earlier which was at that time manned by seven soldiers. After purchasing the sweet, the soldiers had offered him a 500 rupee note.

When Ganesh Ranjan told them he had no change, they asked him to pick up the money owing to him on his return. Before the boy returned however, one of the soldiers had vomited, causing them to believe that he (the soldier) had been poisoned.

When the boy returned for his dues later, he was severely assaulted by the SLA soldiers. He was admitted to the Jaffna Hospital.

The others at the checkpoint who ate candy floss did not complain of a stomach disorder though. The indisposed soldier was taken to the SLA hospital at Palaly, said sources.