When I regained consciousness, I saw the sky. I went underwater three times. The story tells of gold items being robbed and thrown into a well.

“When I regained consciousness, I suddenly saw the sky. I thought I was sleeping in my bed at home.

I was soaked with water. I immediately felt that a flood had come. I suddenly went underwater. I came up and went underwater a second time. I went underwater a third time. When I came up that time, something came into my hand. I grabbed it. I shouted loudly and called my husband. I asked, 'Where are you?' I asked if he went fishing. I called my child, but no one answered.”

Murugamurthi Ranichcha, a resident of Vavunathivu area, whose life was saved after being abducted by an organized group for a gold robbery, rendered unconscious, and thrown into a well located in Nellikadu, Kokkadicholai, Batticaloa, spoke out about the crime committed against her.

This is the first time she is revealing this to the media.

She, who was screaming and fighting a battle between life and death, was rescued on March 20th. After being pulled out of the well and admitted to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital, she received treatment in the intensive care unit for several days.

“On the morning of March 19th, I went to the Vavunathivu Divisional Secretariat with my daughter. After handing over the bank passbooks to the Samurdhi Bank there, I was at the Vavunathivu junction with my child, waiting for a bus, intending to go to Batticaloa town.” She recalled that incident.

“After a while, a three-wheeler came, and a woman in it asked, 'Are you going to Batticaloa?' I said, 'I don't have money to go by three-wheeler.' She said, 'Don't worry about too much money, just give 100 rupees.' Then I got into the three-wheeler. Another woman who was there also got into the three-wheeler.” This is how the plan to abduct her unfolded.

“That woman got off at the hospital junction. I told them to drop me off on the road to Sattar's shop. Then the woman who came in the three-wheeler said, 'I'm going to buy a saree.' She said, 'I'm also going back now. You can come with me.' I said, 'Okay.' Afterwards, I went to Sattar's shop and redeemed my pawned ring for 25,000 rupees. Then I went to the saree shop where that woman said she was, intending to go home in the same three-wheeler.” Her abduction occurred after that.

“When I got there, that woman called the three-wheeler. We got into the three-wheeler and set off for the village. The three-wheeler driver stopped the three-wheeler in town, got out, and after 10 minutes, returned and set off for Vavunathivu.

As we were going over the bridge, the woman in the three-wheeler opened her bag and took out three bottles of drinks. She gave one to me, and I drank it. The woman got off the three-wheeler at Vavunathivu junction. From there, another man got into the three-wheeler with a knife. I asked, 'Why is he getting into the three-wheeler with a knife?' Then the three-wheeler driver said, 'He's going to cut a piece of wood to tie up a cattle at his house.'

Then the three-wheeler turned onto a different road instead of the one we were on. It turned towards Pavakodichennai. I asked, 'Why did you turn onto this road?' They said, 'No, we'll drop this younger brother off and then drop you off.' Then I felt dizzy. After that, I don't know what happened.” According to her, what happened was that she lost consciousness after drinking the sweet drink bottle. Police investigations revealed that some drug had been put into the sweet drink bottle to make her unconscious. The owner of a pharmacy from which this organized gang obtained a type of drug for this purpose was also later arrested by the police.

When she regained consciousness, she was in a well. She thought she had been caught in a flood. Although she screamed and called out to her husband and children, she did not realize she was in a well. Her life was saved because someone heard her screams.

“Someone came, put a rope in my hand, and pulled me out. That's when I realized I was in a well. Then they took me to the hospital,” she says.

Currently, seven people have been arrested in connection with this incident. Four people have been remanded until the 2nd. Three people are being detained and questioned under court orders, a senior police officer said.

Under the orders of Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (Eastern Range) Attorney Varuna Jayasundara and under the supervision of Senior Superintendent of Police (Batticaloa Division) Lalith Leelarathna, officers including Inspector P. Menon, OIC of the Eastern Province Criminal Investigation Division, Chief Inspector Thushara Abeyratne, OIC of Kokkadicholai Police Station, and Chief Inspector E. Venujan, OIC of the Criminal Investigation Division at Kokkadicholai Police Station, are conducting further investigations.

Ampara - Wasantha Chandrapala