A SHOPKEEPER is thanking Wearsiders for their support after her family suffered a vile racist attack.
Saly Chowdhury has been overwhelmed by the number of well-wishers who have stopped off at her Hendon Valley Road Store after reading about her ordeal in the Echo.
Saly, 31, said: “I can’t believe how many people have been coming into the shop to check that I’m OK and to say how disgusted and angry they are about what happened.
“It goes to show there are many more good people out there than there are bad and that’s nice.”
Saly, who owns Hendon Valley Store, was working last Friday afternoon when two men and a woman came into the shop.
One of the men snatched two boxes of crisps and they fled the store. Saly chased them outside and had racial abuse hurled at her.
The mum-of-four had locked herself out of the shop so she ran to her nearby home.
The thugs chased her and outside her house spat on her four-year-old daughter, pushed her seven-year-old daughter against the wall and hit her 13-year-old daughter in the face.
They then punched Saly in the face, causing a black eye, tore chunks of her hair out and choked her with her scarf before she was able to get inside.
“All of my customers have been great,” Saly said. “They’ve all been really concerned and said they won’t tolerate this behaviour.
“I’d like to say a massive thank you to all of my customers and everyone else who has shown their support.
“The police and Victim Support have also been great and have worked very hard and I’d also like to thank the Sunderland Echo too.”
Saly said some customers have also lit a candle at St Ignatius Church after hearing about the attack.
She would also like to thank employee and friend Susan Scott for her help.
A 39-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of racial/religiously-aggravated assault and has been released on police bail.
Anyone with information is asked to phone police on 101 ex 69191 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Twitter: @sunechochief
Comments