14 year old child lured to drink illicit liquor

By Lasantha Niroshan Perera 

Residents of Barwatta yesterday staged a protest against using a 14 year child to pluck coconuts and offering him a drink of illicit liquor as his wage and compelling the police to take action against the illicit breweries and liquor dens in the area.   

The protest resulted in obstructions to traffic on Deniyaya- Ratnapura main highway. They pointed out that an organised group was carrying out the racket unchecked and that the police had failed to take any action against them.   

Ratnapura SP Kapila Premadasa who visited the scene told the protestors that the STF had already arrested the racketeers and advised them to inform him or the ASP in case of any attempt to carry on the racket.   

The protest lasted for about three hours