Latest news with #DharmasenaCooray
Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Pensioner 'beaten to death' after shopkeepers accuse him of stealing chocolate bar
The 67-year-old was reportedly dumped by a roadside after allegedly being punched, kicked and hit with an iron rod. A pensioner has allegedly been brutally beaten to death by shopkeepers who accused him of stealing a chocolate bar. Dharmasena Cooray was reported to have been a regular at his local market in the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka, where the horror incident unfolded. The married 67-year-old had been shopping on August 5 when he was confronted by the owner of a small shop and another worker and accused of stealing. The shop workers are understood to have claimed to have evidence of the theft on CCTV before allegedly launching a brutal assault on the man, reports the Mirror. Police are reported to have said the two men allegedly dragged Cooray inside the shop before punching, kicking and hitting him with an iron rod. Cooray was then dumped by the roadside, according to the Express. The OAP is understood to have suffered severe injuries to his head and legs, with a passer-by stopping and rushing him to hospital. While undergoing treatment, he was able to give police a statement before succumbing to his injuries and dying on August 11. A post-mortem examination was carried out but could not determine the exact cause of death. Chief Inspector Vijitha Wijekoon, head of the crime branch in Peradeniya, said two suspects had been arrested and remain in police custody. The Telegraph reported that local resident Zahra Niyas said: 'It's heartbreaking that, instead of someone offering to pay for it or the shop owner letting the gentleman enjoy that small treat, he had to pay the ultimate price with his life. 'So sad to see that compassion and humanity seem to be fading away in our world today.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Another local, Lal Kumarasanga, said: 'Such a level of evil to beat a poor, defenceless old man to death over a chocolate. Let the justice system use the two idiots as examples. They deserve to rot in hell.' Neighbours said Cooray was surviving on a modest pension which had been hit hard by inflation since Sri Lanka's 2022 economic collapse. The crisis left the country unable to import essentials like fuel, food, and medicine.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Telegraph
Pensioner beaten to death over stolen chocolate bar
A Sri Lankan man has been killed for allegedly stealing a bar of chocolate from a shop. Dharmasena Cooray, 67, was beaten to death by a shopkeeper and his employee after they accused the pensioner of stealing the treat in the city of Kandy, according to reports. The victim lived with his wife in the Pahala-Eriyagama suburb after their two children moved away. Mr Cooray would often visit the nearby market in Peradeniya to buy groceries and chocolates for himself and his wife. On Aug 5, the shop owner and an employee confronted Mr Cooray after claiming CCTV footage from the previous day showed him stealing chocolate without paying. They allegedly dragged him inside, where they punched and kicked him. Police said the suspects hit the father with an iron rod and he suffered multiple head and leg injuries, before the men left him by the roadside. A woman passing by recognised Mr Cooray and took him to hospital. Despite grievous injuries, he managed to give a statement to police, naming his attackers before dying on Aug 11. A post-mortem by the Kandy Judicial Medical Officer was inconclusive about the cause of his death. Police have arrested the two suspects, who are currently in police custody, said Vijitha Wijekoon, a chief inspector of the crime branch in Peradeniya. Sri Lanka's ageing population has traditionally relied on close-knit family support. But economic hardship has driven younger relatives abroad or to urban areas for work, leaving many older people isolated. More than 12 per cent are over 60, making it the highest proportion in South Asia. 'It's heartbreaking that, instead of someone offering to pay for it or the shop owner letting the gentleman enjoy that small treat, he had to pay the ultimate price with his life,' said a local resident, Ms Zahra Niyas. 'So sad to see that compassion and humanity seem to be fading away in our world today.' 'Such a level of evil to beat a poor, defenceless old man to death over a chocolate. Let the justice system use the two idiots as examples. They deserve to rot in hell,' said Lal Kumarasanga, another local. Pension swallowed by inflation Neighbours said Mr Cooray's modest pension had been swallowed by inflation, a reality faced by millions in Sri Lanka since the Island's 2022 economic collapse. That unprecedented crisis triggered by years of economic mismanagement left the country unable to import essentials such as fuel, food, and medicine. Across the nation, pensioners who celebrated Sri Lanka's independence in 1948 and survived its devastating 26-year civil war are still struggling to live on one handful of rice each day. Annual inflation has eased since then, but prices for staples remain far above pre-crisis levels. The World Bank estimates that poverty rates have doubled since 2019. Retirees on fixed incomes are among the hardest hit, with many unable to afford adequate nutrition or healthcare.
