According to the friend, Cardinaud had stood near his gate and asked them to refrain from making such a rumpus just outside his gate and thereafter went into his home.

A few minutes later, Cardinaud along with his wife Edith heard rocks crashing into their house. When Cardinaud went out to inspect, two men jumped at him and the rest dragged him out to the nearby river while beating him along the way. They beat him with rocks and injured his face and

even tried to drown him in the river.

A neighbour who had heard the ensuing chaos came to the rescue of Cardinaud, the men ran away soon after.

Edith Cardinaud in the meantime complained to the Matara Crime Branch of the attack and the Police managed to arrest two of the suspects involved in the incident.

“Cardinaud has been coming to Sri Lanka for the last 20 years and was active in assisting those affected by the 2004 Tsunami. It is shameful that this has happened. The government is trying to bring in more tourists and foreign investments to the country. But, for that to become a reality the safety and security of foreign tourists will also have to be ensured,”the friend said.

(dailynews.com)