Two more Indian nationals jailed for Dec 2013 riot

Two more Indian nationals were jailed today for upto 27 months in prison for their involvement in the Little India riot in December 2013, Singapore's worst street violence in over four decades.
Rajendran Mohan, 26, was given 27 months' jail term for rioting and committing an offence of mischief against a motorbus. He pleaded guilty today.
Co-accused Sathiyamoorthy Sivaraman, 27, who pleaded guilty last September, was sentenced to 25 months' imprisonment.
A district court heard that Rajendran was heading back to his dormitory after drinks with friend on the night of December 8 when he noticed a police vehicle ablaze in the middle of Race Course Road in Little India, a precinct of Indian-origin businesses.

Rajendran joined a group of at least five others in committing violence against a motorbus on the road, by throwing objects such as a plastic crate at it, inserting lighted objects in the fuel inlet, according to a report in the online version of the Today newspaper.
He also tried, in futility, to topple the bus by kicking and pushing it, before cajoling others in the unlawful assembly to join him, the court heard.

Rajendran was arrested at the scene and his acts identified through footage captured by the CCTV camera mounted on the side of the bus.
Calling for a deterrent sentence, Deputy Public Prosecutor Santhra Aiyyasany said Rajendran had a clear intention to burn the bus and persistent disregard for authority.

While the prosecution pressed for a significant custodial term of 30 to 36 months' jail and three strokes of the cane, District Judge Ong Hian was not persuaded that Rajendran's acts of mischief was more egregious than several of his co-accused to warrant caning.
The maximum penalty for rioting is a jail term of seven years and caning.
A total of 23 emergency vehicles were damaged during the riot and 54 police and security officers were hurt.
A total of 25 people of Indian-origin were charted for rioting on that Sunday night which was sparked by a fatal accident involving an Indian national and the bus. So far, 24 of these alleged rioters have already been sentenced.