Not a single shot was fired.

December 09, 2013

Not a single shot was fired.

Singapore police handled the situation well without the use of fire arms.

If this happened in Malaysia, our police will have a gala time shooting at innocent people and this is a fact.

27 arrested after Little India riot: DPM Teo warns that Govt will not tolerate lawless behaviour

Posted on 09 December 2013 | 79,300 views | 71 comments

PHOTO: ST, TNP, ZAOBAO, ASIAONE

Twenty-seven suspects from South Asia have been arrested after a 400-strong mob started a riot at Race Course Road in Little India at about 9pm yesterday (Dec 8).

The incident was apparently sparked off by a fatal accident involving an Indian national knocked down by a private bus.

The 33-year-old victim had been crossing the road when he was ran over and trapped under the bus. SCDF pronounced him dead upon their arrival.

He has been identified as Mr Sakthivel Kumaravelu, a construction worker who had been working in scaffolding company Heng Hup Soon for two years.

Mr Kumaravelu's body was not decapitated as reported by some news outlets but he did suffer injuries to his face, reports The Straits Times.

The mob, believed to be made up mainly of foreign workers, apparently attacked an ambulance and a traffic police highway patrol car responding to the accident. Projectiles were thrown at the rescuers while they were extricating Mr Kumaravelu's body.

Shortly after, a riot involving a crowd of about 400 subjects broke out. Police received a call at around 9.23pm informing them of the incident.

Police cars, an ambulance and a fire engine arrived at the scene. One police car was overturned by the crowd. Two more police cars were overturned after the fire engine and ambulance moved away.

The mob then burned one police car and ambulance. They dispersed when riot police arrived on the scene and brought the situation under control.

Ten police officers and four Civil Defence officers were injured. It was reported that 18 casualties were conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The driver of the private bus remains in hospital after undergoing an operation, and is not arrested.

STOMPers Zara, Shocked Human, Pillai, Scott, Macrofire, Sonia,Alex and Louis had all sent in information about the incident, along with photos.

Commissioner of Police Ng Joo Hee said that no Singaporean was believed to have been involved in the riot, adding that destruction of property and fighting the police is not the Singapore way. Further arrests can be expected to be made in the days that follow.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also the Minister for Home Affairs, said that the government will not tolerate such 'lawless behavior', urging the public to stay calm and not to speculate.

Members of the public in the area have also been advised to stay indoors while police investigations are ongoing.

The Prime Minister, President and other political office-holders have taken to Facebook to reassure the public that justice will be done. Migrant workers' group Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) has also appealed to the public to be mindful not to make hateful and xenophobic comments online.

Shopowners and residents affected by the riot have also been clearing up debris from the violence, with most counting their losses. A shop assistant said that it would take him "all day" to determine the costs he would incur.