A court in Singapore has reportedly sentenced a 53-year-old Indian-origin man named Ravi Sinathamby Subramaniam, with a past history of intimidating public servants, to 7 months imprisonment for verbally abusing police and health officers, amidst the Coronavirus outbreak.
Ravi has allegedly been involved in public brawls for over a decade. As per reports, he recently got into a verbal altercation with the police at a convenience store. Ravi allegedly hurled expletives at the cops, refused to cooperate, and create a nuisance at the store. As such, he was arrested.
Four days later, Ravi reportedly threatened to break the face of health officials when they pointed out that his face mask did not cover his mouth and nose. “The next time I see you, I will break your face”, he was quoted as saying. Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh informed the Court that he had even threatened to attack his brother with chopper and boiling water.
The prosecution had demanded a 10 months’ jail term, highlighting how he continued to be a “menace to the society.” They argued that a harsher punishment to Ravi would send a clear message to the society that attacking “frontline workers would not be tolerated”.
While handing down a 7 months’ imprisonment, the Judge directed to organise counselling sessions for the accused and necessary treatment plans to improve his social behaviour. Ravi later apologised and claimed he misbehaved under the influence of alcohol.
Indian Government’s move to protect frontline workers
In a significant measure to stop the attacks against the healthcare workers in the country, the Modi Government has brought an ordinance last month to end violence against health workers. Amidst the ongoing assaults on the frontline health workers, policemen during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, the central government has brought in a timely ordinance to deter the unruly mob. The new ordinance has provisions to punish the assaulters with imprisonment from 6 months to 7 years.
