2 Indians jailed for Little India riot in Singapore

Two Indian workers were on Thursday sentenced to jail by a Singapore court after they admitted their involvement in the Little India riot last December, the city-state’s worst street violence in 40 years.

Moorthy Kabildev, 25, and Mongan Anbalagan, 41, pleaded guilty to rioting on December 8 in Singapore’s Little India, a precinct of Indian origin businesses, eateries and pubs.

Kabildev initially faced two charges -- one for rioting and one for causing hurt by allegedly punching bus time-keeper Madam Wong Geck Woon. He pleaded guilty to the former and the prosecution withdrew the other charge, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Ong.

Kabildev was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, backdated to his December 9 arrest date. Anbalagan admitted to throwing concrete pieces at a bus and in the direction of police vehicles. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, backdated to his December 8 arrest date.

The riot was sparked by a fatal accident involving the bus and an Indian national who was working in Singapore. Some 400 migrant workers were at the scene of the riot during which 23 emergency vehicles were damaged and 54 police officers injured.

Twenty-five Indian nationals, working in Singapore on permits, were charged for rioting.