Pettah Fire Reveals Protection Racket
By Waruni Karunarathne & Indika Sri Aravinda
The fire which broke out in Bodhiraja Mawatha on 6th December engulfed numerous shops in Pettah and left many vendors helpless. Around 94 shops were completely burnt to ashes even as the vendors were getting ready for the Christmas season. Even though the total loss has not yet been estimated, most of the traders claim that each shop contained at least Rs 30 lakhs worth of goods.
