Second Indian jailed in Singapore riot case

A second Indian national, among 25 people charged with rioting here last year, was sentenced to 33 months in jail and three strokes of the cane Thursday.

Arumugam Karthik, a construction worker, pleaded guilty to rioting and setting fire to property during a riot here, the Straits Times reported.

He admitted his guilt to one count of rioting and one count of mischief.

His actions on the night of Dec 8 last year included flipping three police cars and trying to set them on fire.

Last week, another Indian national, Ramalingam Sakthivel, 33, was sentenced to 30 months in jail and three strokes of the cane after he admitted to one count of rioting and another for mischief by fire, the report said.

Six other Indians initially charged with rioting earlier this year pleaded guilty to amended charges of failing to disperse.

They were each sentenced to between 15 and 18 weeks in jail.

The remaining 17 men charged have their cases pending in court.

The riots started at the junction of Race Course Road and Hampshire Road in Little India area here around 9.20 p.m. Dec 8 when a private bus knocked down and killed an Indian construction worker Sakthivel Kumaravelu, 33.

About 400 people attacked the bus and police and rescue vehicles for two hours before riot police brought the situation under control.