A nightmare in Sri Lanka: Matityahu Korman, a Jerusalemite known as a veteran traveler around the world, experienced a terrifying robbery last night in Sri Lanka, from which he miraculously escaped after jumping out of a moving taxi.
The incident occurred in the town of Arugam Bay, when Corman was traveling with a taxi driver on a tour of the area.
"Last weekend I landed," he told Ynet in an interview. "I stayed in the coastal town of Arugam Bay last Saturday, and it was very nice, and my plan was to be in another city on Monday for the rest of the trip. Yesterday, as I was leaving the Chabad house, a tuk-tuk driver met me and asked me where I was going. I didn't really have a specific plan, so he told me, 'Come on up and I'll take you to a spectacular place with elephants,' and I went with it.".
At the end of the trip, Korman was supposed to return to the Chabad house, but according to his testimony, during the drive back towards the Chabad house in Arugam, the driver deviated from his route and led him onto a side road. "Suddenly he started attacking me and forcibly took my wallet with my passport, cash and credit cards," Korman described in a conversation with Ynet.
After a physical struggle with the robber, the driver "agreed" to give him all the money in his wallet in exchange for a payment of $150. However, after returning to the main road, near the entrance to the city, as they approached a military checkpoint, the driver cut onto a side road. "I shouted at him to stop immediately and when that didn't help, I had to jump out of the tuktuk while driving for my own safety," he said. "The soldiers at the military checkpoint saw it, because it was right after the checkpoint.".
Korman says that another tuk-tuk driver helped him at the scene. "My right hand and legs were beaten up, including cuts. I have serious wounds from the jump.".
The robber driver did not flee the scene: "He didn't think I would dare to jump. He lied to the soldiers that I was drunk and had been drinking alcohol, and started telling them stories.".
One of the drivers offered to take him to the hospital, but Korman preferred to go to the Chabad house. "First of all, I wanted to meet Israelis - that they would go with me and help me, I don't get into trouble here again. The Chabad emissary, Rabbi Avraham, helped me physically and mentally, brought me drinks, calmed me down, brought me wet wipes to wet the open wounds, I waited there for a long time," he told Ynet.
Later, police officers arrived with a Jewish doctor from the United States: "She spoke fluent English and that made it easier for me. She sat down next to me along with the police officers, and wrote down all the details, helped me with the translation and filling out the details of the complaint, and I signed.".
The robber driver was arrested and Korman was asked to come to the police station. "As soon as I enter, I immediately catch sight of the robber out of the corner of my eye. It's a small, old-fashioned station from the Middle Ages. The driver was sitting there on the side with handcuffs, and of course, as soon as he saw me, he immediately made faces at me - as if I was supposed to feel sorry for him.".
""After a short wait, the station commander informed me that I had two options - either I sue this driver now and start a criminal process against him, which will last months or maybe years and I will have to come to Sri Lanka several more times to testify, or I simply accept now all the money found on the robber, about $150 and another 10,000 local rupees, which is about 120 shekels. But in exchange for this, I sign that I will not sue and he is also released and goes home.".
After consulting with the local Chabad emissary, Korman realized he didn't have much choice. "I got all the money, they took off his handcuffs, and then one of the policemen yelled at him and told him to apologize to me. He bowed towards my feet as if to apologize. Of course, I quickly waved him off with my foot, I didn't need his forgiveness.".
Korman will remain at the Chabad house until his flight back, on Saturday night, and still needs to recover.
He has already drawn his conclusions: It is better to travel with one or two other companions. And if you are still traveling alone, it is important to be careful. Of course, he also recommends that travelers be more careful with taxi drivers who offer paid tours.
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