UK riots: Indian couple traumatised after attack
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An Indian couple who migrated to Britain five years ago was one of the victims of the recent riots in Croydon, London, when they were physically attacked (rpt) attacked and their food shop looted and destroyed on last Monday night.
The days of mayhem last week hit many British Asians, including Indian jewellers and shopkeepers, but the story of Kerala-origin Lisy George, 37, and Binu Mathew, 40, has been largely unknown.
Traumatised by the feral attacks, the two are now planning to return to Kerala. Lisy George, a nurse, was trying to get to the Croydon University Hospital to start her night shift when she was grabbed by a gang of youths who ripped her uniform, dragged her into the road and stole the contents of her handbag.
According to the Telegraph, the attackers included a woman who punched her husband, Binu, leaving him covered in blood, after he refused to get out of their van. The two were trying to flee disorder in Croydon when they were set upon and robbed.
Their food shop had already been smashed and looted and Mathew decided to pull the shutters down and drive his wife to safety. However, they only got as far as traffic lights at the end of the street.
Mathew said: "We are thinking of giving up and going back to Kerala because this is not what we expected in England. These people did not have any shame. It was so senseless. They even stole custard powder and rice. It is worth nothing to them, so why destroy our livelihood and everything we have worked hard for?"
Recounting the horror, George said: "They ripped my uniform and left me semi-naked in the street. They were acting like wild animals. A woman punched my husband and left him bleeding. They wanted the van to drive away what they had stolen". She added: "He refused to give her the keys so she punched him and screamed 'burn them, burn them'. They stole the 1,000 pounds takings he had and my NHS badge. They took my handbag, emptied it and threw it back to me".
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