A protest has been held in Hatton demand that find out the truth behind the death of a girl who was working as a maid at the residence of a former minister and punish to the perpetrators. The protest, which took place on Sunday (18) evening, was organized by the Upcountry People’s Front and the Upcountry Workers Front.
The Borella Police is investigating over allegations that a girl had set herself on fire while working as a servant in the house of former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and former minister’s family members had also questioned by the police recently.
Media has reported, the coroner of the Borella Hospital who conducted the inquest was revealed that the girl who committed suicide had been sexually abused over a period of time. On July 17, the Borella Police interrogated a servant working at the former minister’s house for nearly six hours and obtained a statement.
The deceased girl is a resident of an estate house in the Hatton area and she was brought to work as a servant in the house of the former minister when she was 15 years and 11 months old, the media has reported. Hatton protesters, who demanded an end to all violence against women, further pointed out that working with minors was a violation of children’s rights.
A large number of such children and young women are working in the plantation areas in various parts of the island including Colombo. Joining the protest, MP of Kandurata Janatha Peramuna, Radha Krishnan said that a formal inquiry should be held into the death of the girl and those responsible for the crime should be severely punished so that such crimes do not happen to those children in the future as well.