4 men charged for discharging dangerous fireworks on Deepavali
Four men have been charged in the State Courts on Friday (9 November) with setting off dangerous fireworks in three separate incidents which occured on Deepavali earlier this week.
Jeevan Arjoon, 28, Alagappan Singaram, 54, A Hariprasanth, 18, and Elvis Xavier Fernandez, 25, were allegedly involved in three separate cases of discharging fireworks around Singapore on 6 November, 2018. All four are Singaporeans.
This is the second time in a week that men have been charged for discharging dangerous fireworks. On Wednesday, two men were charged for committing the same offence in Little India.
Loud sounds heard
The case allegedly involving Jeevan occurred at about 3.30am, when police were alerted to loud sounds, believed to have come from the fireworks, at an open field in front of Block 513A, Yishun Street 51.
Cylinders containing explosive materials were found at the location. Jeevan’s identity was established and he was arrested on 7 November. He was charged with one count of setting off three “Single Shot” fireworks and one box of “49 Shot Cake” fireworks.
Alagappan and Hariprasanth were allegedly involved in a separate incident at 7.40pm on the same day. Loud sounds believed to have emanated from fireworks were heard at the void deck of Block 194B, Bukit Batok West Avenue 6. Police later found a box containing explosive materials at the void deck.
The two men were arrested on the same day and were each charged with one count of discharging one box of “25 Shot Cake” fireworks.
The third case allegedly involving Fernandez was reported at about 9.55pm. Police officers were alerted to the sounds of fireworks at the void deck of Block 18, Joo Seng Road. They later found a bundle of tubes containing explosive materials at the void deck.
Fernandez was arrested on 8 November 2018. He was charged with one count of discharging a bundle of six whistling fire sparkles.
If convicted, each man may be jailed up to two years and/or fined between $2,000 and $10,000.
Jeevan and Fernandez will be back in court on 23 and 28 November respectively. Hariprasanth and Alagappan will return on 30 November.
Two charged for setting off fireworks near Little India
On Wednesday, Thiagu Selvarajoo, 29, was accused of setting off dangerous fireworks while Siva Kumar Subramaniam, 48, allegedly helped him by placing a box of Happy Boom fireworks on a road divider in Gloucester Road, near Little India.
Both men are Singaporeans.
The Singapore Police Force said in a statement that it was an offence to “possess, sell, transport, send, deliver, distribute or import any dangerous fireworks”.
“The police have zero tolerance against acts that endanger the lives or safety of others as well as cause undue alarm to the public, and will not hesitate to take action against those who blatantly disregard the law,” it said.
In 1968, the use of certain kinds of fireworks were prohibited after they became a public safety issue.
A total ban on the use of fireworks was enforced on 1 August 1972, when the Dangerous Fireworks Act came into operation. This was two years after an incident involving firecrackers killed six and injured 25 others on Chinese New Year in 1970. The accident also cost up to $560,390 in property damages.
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