Two more charged with rioting at Singapore's Little India

Source:Xinhua Published: 2013-12-14 17:28:42

Two more men were charged in court on Saturday morning, with their involvement in Sunday's rioting at a Singapore's Little India, bringing the total number of accused persons facing charges to 33.

Both Indian nationals, Palanivel Dhasmohan, 27, and Karuppiah Chandrasekar, 31, were accused of being part of an unlawful assembly, together with about 400 others, and throwing pieces of hardened cement at police officers between 9.20 p.m. and 10.45 p.m. , in the vicinity of Race Course Road.

Both accused persons face one charge of rioting each and if convicted, they could be jailed up to seven years and be liable to caning.

On Tuesday, the first group of 24 men were hauled up to court to face their charges in Sunday's melee.

Like what had been told to the other accused earlier, Dhasmohan and Chandrasekar were told that they could apply for Law Society's Criminal Legal Aid Scheme if they are unable to engage counsel on their own.

After the chaos, the Singapore authorities has established a committee of inquiry to investigate the cause of the rare riot.

The government also introduced a complete ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol this weekend in the Race Course Road area, where the riot broke out. The suspension of alcohol sales and consumption will affect some 374 stakeholders and establishments in Little India and the surrounding vicinity.

Meanwhile, more closed circuit television were also installed at that area.

It was the biggest riot in Singapore in some 40 years, as the city state has been known as one of the safest cities. A total of 22 police officers, 12 Singapore Civil Defense Force officers and five auxiliary police officers were injured in the incident.



Posted in: Asia-Pacific

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