Five people were arrested in connection with the incident of brutally assaulting a young woman at one of the Cargills Foodcity supermarket outlets, the Borella Police said.

The attack took place inside the supermarket on Cotta Road in Borella.

Initial police investigations revealed that the girl was attacked for allegedly stealing chocolates from the store on the 18th.

Meanwhile, it was reported that two more employees are to be arrested.

Investigations are being conducted on the instructions of Borella Police OIC Chief Inspector Janaka Priyadarshana Withanage.

Why did employees become violent?

Meanwhile, social media platforms were alive with conversations on how some factions in the society were attempting to justify the attack.

Some media organizations have published the news without mentioning the name of the institution where the attack took place.

However, Cargills employees have been heavily criticized for taking the law into their own hands.

Meanwhile, human rights organizations and consumer rights protection organizations pointed out that Cargills Foodcity’s strict management has led to the employees’ violent behaviour.

Sri Lanka Mirror was able to reveal that the employees are under immense pressure due to the ‘strict’ rules imposed by the management of Cargills Foodcity on its employees.

Mentioned below are some of the rules and regulations imposed on the employees by the Cargills Foodcity.

1. If any of the items packed in Cargills Food City are missing, the employees will bear the responsibility and the value will be deducted from their wages.

2. Cargills Foodcity will give a certain amount (1000/-) to the cashiers in the morning and if there is a shortfall in that amount after the balancing books at the end of the day, it should be recovered from their salary or in some other way.

3. All the employees have been assigned certain shelves in the Food City and they should bear the responsibility for the assigned shelves.

4. Even if the employees are given leave, it is difficult for them to get a leave on the required day.

5. Cargills also cut and sell vegetables, meat and fish and they are being prepared by the employees. It is said that they often have to cut pieces from items that are about to expire, and therefore, the task is unpleasant.

6. Although the working hours are from 7 am to 9 pm, the work shift in some Cargills Food City outlets ends at around 11 pm.