UK riots: Indian couple traumatised after attack

London, Aug 14 (PTI) An Indian couple who migrated to
Britain five years ago was one of the victims of the recent
riots in Croydon here, when they were physically 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".

They called the ambulance but were told to come to
hospital on their own because it was too dangerous to go to
the area.
George said, "A neighbour covered me up and took us in,
which saved our lives. My husband watched from their window as
the shop was looted all night. He was crying so much I had to
pull him away from the window.
She added, "We worked so hard to start our business and
now we have lost everything, including my wedding chain. I
cannot sleep because I am so terrified, and I cannot go to
work."
Mathew's van was eventually torched and burned out in the
road at the scene of the attack. The shop's computerised tills
were also stolen, leaving a total bill of 20,000 pounds for
the damage to the premises and up to 10,000 pounds to replace
the vehicle, although the couple are hopeful some of the costs
can be recovered through insurance.
Mathew, a former IT manager, told the Telegraph, "We
are not rich people, so I don't know why they attacked us.
I have never claimed benefits or asked for any money
from anyone.
I have yet to make a penny profit from the shop because
it is out first year".
George said: "None of us can sleep properly any more.
We have to stay together all night and talk otherwise we
just have nightmares. Every noise makes us frightened."