Indian-origin sentenced to jail for killing compatriot former colleague in Singapore

A 33-year-old Indian-origin man has been sentenced to a year and eight months jail for killing a fellow compatriot colleague in Singapore, a media report said on Wednesday.

Saravanan Arimuram pleaded guilty to one count of committing a rash act, a less serious offence, reported The Straits Times on Wednesday.

The rash act led to the death of former colleague Sivakumar Perumal, 43, in 2018.

Hitching a ride in a prime mover, Saravanan got into a fight in the moving vehicle and swung the animal antlers around in the cabin, endangering the lives of Sivakumar and, by extension, other road users.

Saravanan also admitted in court to assaulting Sivakumar's nephew, Navin Partiban, 18.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Daphne Lim said that a group of people, including Sivakumar, Navin and Saravanan, were downing alcoholic drinks at Block 53 Teban Gardens on February 15, 2018.

At around 5pm, Sivakumar decided to head to Yishun with his nephew and agreed to give Saravanan a lift. During the journey, Saravanan spoke to his girlfriend on his phone and she told him to meet her in Toa Payoh instead. He asked Sivakumar if he could drive him there, but the older man declined.

Saravanan got into a quarrel with him and insisted on taking over the wheel, the court heard.

Navin then hurled a vulgarity at Saravanan.

Upset, Saravanan grabbed the 40cm long and 50 cm high antlers from the dashboard and stabbed Navin in the back with them. Sivakumar shouted at Saravanan and said he was "being crazy".

The prime mover then mounted a kerb before toppling to its left side.

An antler branch pierced Sivakumar in the eye.

Navin managed to get out of the vehicle, and an eyewitness alerted the authorities.

Singapore Civil Defence Force officers arrived at the scene soon after to extricate Saravanan and unconscious Sivakumar from the cabin of the prime mover.

All three men were taken to hospital, where Sivakumar died about two hours later of "extensive cranio-cerebral injuries" from the wound to his left eye.