Man who was tasered twice by police in Everton Park gets jail, caning

SINGAPORE — A construction worker who had been drinking alcohol went around kicking dustbins and benches in Everton Park in June, a court heard.

When policemen tried to talk to Murugesan Ragupathiraja, who was on bail for assaulting policemen earlier, he repeatedly shouted “shoot me” while gesturing at his chest.

The 25-year-old Indian national also suddenly charged at an officer with a raised fist, while holding onto a can of beer with his other hand.

He had to be tasered twice before he could be arrested.

At the State Courts on Tuesday (6 August), Murugesan was jailed for three years and seven months, along with 15 strokes of the cane.

He pleaded guilty to an array of crimes - including robbery, mischief, vandalism, and assaulting police officers - committed over three separate occasions.

Punched, slapped cops

On 11 December last year, Murugesan went to Tekka Market with a friend to drink a bottle of liquor at about 2pm. They left at about 5.50pm to return to their dormitories.

Shortly after, while walking outside Park 22 Hotel along Kerbau Road, Murugesan forcefully pulled at three wooden window panels before walking away. Parts of two window panels came off while another panel cracked.

The hotel’s staff noticed the damage via CCTV footage and the housekeeping manager ran over to two auxiliary policemen who were in the area on foot patrol.

At about 6pm, the cops approached Murugesan outside a restaurant along Race Course Road. He denied causing any damage and refused to give his particulars. The officers then brought Murugesan back to the hotel.

When Murugesan saw the friend whom he had been drinking with, he suddenly gestured as if he wanted to punch him.

One officer pulled Murugesan away and both of them fell on the floor. When both of them got up, Murugesan punched the cop’s face thrice before trying to run away. The cop hugged him from behind but Murugesan continued to struggle violently.

When another officer went to help restrain Murugesan, the latter slapped the cop’s face thrice. The officers managed to handcuff Murugesan after a struggle.

When more policemen arrived later, Murugesan tried to use his body to knock into them and also spat at the officers near him.

Murugesan was brought into a police van at about 6.30pm, where he continued to struggle. He kicked around and spat at policemen near him, hurled vulgarities at them and also tried to bite the arm of an officer who was holding onto him. The cops had to put a face mask on him to stop him from spitting around.

The total cost of repair to the hotel’s window panels was $100.

The officer who was punched in the face thrice had tenderness over the jaw with bruising and was given three days of medical leave.

Robbed construction worker

On 7 April, Murugesan also robbed another construction worker. At about 9pm that day, Murugesan went to Kovan MRT station with his friend Raman Lakshmanan, 39, a construction worker from Bangladesh.

They planned to rob Ullah Hedayat, 39, also a construction worker from Bangladesh, whom they believed was involved in an unauthorised remittance business and carrying cash with him.

Murugesan brought a plastic bag with red chilli powder and laid waiting for the victim at the open carpark near the MRT station.

At about 9.40pm, the victim walked from Kovan MRT station to his workplace at Block 10 Defu Lane 10 to meet with his colleagues for dinner.

As Ullah was walking past No. 27J Jalan Hock Chye, Murugesan grabbed the victim from behind and threw a packet of red chilli powder at his face, then rubbed the powder on his eyes, causing him pain. At the same time, Raman pulled the victim’s sling bag, which contained $160 in cash and an ATM card.

The perpetrators then ran away. Raman fled Singapore four days later.

Vandalised public property

On 9 June, Murugesan was seen walking around Everton Park topless with his t-shirt slung over his shoulder and holding onto a can of beer. He had been drinking alcohol since morning.

He kicked a dustbin on the pavement along Duxton Plain Park, causing it and the rubbish inside to fall onto the grass patch. He then kicked a wooden bench, causing it to be uprooted.

Shortly after, Murugesan kicked another wooden bench a few metres away, causing it to be broken into a few pieces. He then kicked another dustbin to the ground before walking away.

Two policemen who were at the scene tried to interview Murugesan but he was uncooperative and behaved aggressively. He shouted “shoot me” repeatedly.

Two other officers arrived soon after. As one of the officers was walking towards Murugesan, the latter suddenly charged at the policeman and tried to punch him. The officer moved backwards and pulled out his baton, while another officer deployed his taser to stop Murugesan.

But Murugesan was unaffected by the non-lethal weapon and continued to move towards the officer whom he had tried to punch. The policeman used his baton to hit Murugesan’s thigh twice and instructed him to get down but he did not.

After he was tasered once more Murugesan fell to the ground and was arrested.

The wooden bench that was uprooted had to be repaired for $31.40 while the second wooden bench had to be replaced for $880.

The penalty for robbery committed at night - between 7pm and 7am - is between three and 14 years’ jail, with at least 12 strokes of the cane.

Those who cause hurt to a public servant face up to seven years’ jail, along with a fine and caning.

Other Singapore stories:

Fire at Choa Chu Kang flat linked to e-scooter that was being charged, 3 taken to hospital

Charging for single-use plastic bags? Local context must be considered, says Amy Khor

Funeral bus that killed elderly woman had ineffective handbrake: State Coroner