There is a "need to demarcate areas and time drinking (is) allowed," says Member of Parliament for the area Lui Tuck Yew on visit to area hit by last night's Little India riot.
Will we be seeing stricter regulations on drinking activities in future? Stricter rules on the times that alcoholic beverages can be served and further restrictions on the areas that drinks can be purchased might be implemented soon.
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.
MrKumaravelu'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. They damaged five police vehicles and one ambulance. Several other private vehicles were also damaged and there were at least two explosions at the scene.
Some 300 police officers responded to the Little India riot but not a single shot --- lethal or non-lethal -- was fired.
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.
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.