Singapore riot: Last of Indian accused held guilty

Singapore, June 3: The last of the Indian accused of failing to disperse despite police warning during Singapore’s Little India riots of 2013 has been held guilty and sentenced by a court to 16 weeks’ jail, media reported on Wednesday. Arun Kaliamurthy, the last of the 25 men charged with rioting, has planned to appeal against the judgment of District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan who convicted him on the single charge of failing to disperse from the scene despite police orders to do so, the Straits Times reported.

The 29-year-old with Master’s degree in information systems had “ample opportunity to leave the scene” between 10.42 p.m. and 11.10 p.m., but chose not to do so, deputy public prosecutor Sellakumaran and assistant public prosecutor Dillon Kok told the court.

Arun’s lawyer Shashi than argued that his client was “merely an innocent bystander” in the riot and urged the judge to impose a fine, or a one-day jail term.

The riots were sparked off after an Indian, Sakthivel Kumaravel, was run over by a bus in Little India area. This was the worst outbreak of violence in the country in more than four decades.

A total of 23 emergency vehicles were damaged, more than 50 officers were injured and 25 people were charged in the riots. (IANS)