Indian driver jailed in Singapore for causing elderly cyclist's death

A 25-year-old Indian lorry driver in Singapore has been sentenced to a year in jail for failing to give way to an elderly cyclist crossing the road, causing his death in 2022, a media report said.

Udaiyappan Vasanth on Monday admitted to one count each of causing a death by driving without reasonable consideration for other road users and intending to pervert the course of justice, The Straits Times reported.

In addition to causing the accident, he also managed to convince his colleague Rajendhiran Chelladurai, also an Indian national, to take the fall for the offence.

Vasanth was driving towards a zebra crossing on April 16, 2022, at a speed of about 40 kmph when he saw Abdul Aziz Syed Mohamed, 64, cycling across it.

He did not give way to the cyclist and the lorry hit Mohamed, flinging him off his bicycle before landing about 7 metres away on the road.

Chelladurai was sitting in the front passenger seat at the time, said the report.

According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Kai, the traffic volume was moderate, the road surface was dry, and visibility was good at the time of the accident.

Kai told the court that the in-vehicle camera installed in the lorry did not capture the accident as its memory card was corrupted.

Mohamed was rushed to the Changi General Hospital, where he was found with injuries including a fractured skull and was pronounced dead shortly.

Vasanth, on probation as a driver, asked Chelladurai to take the blame for the accident, fearing that his licence could be revoked.

"The co-accused agreed to the request... as the co-accused had been assigned to be the driver of the lorry on April 16, 2022, and was purportedly afraid that (their employer) would find out that he was not the driver," Kai told the court.

Chelladurai was arrested and continued with his lies when he had his statement recorded.

He was released on bail later that evening, The Straits Times reported.

Two days after Chelladurai found out from his employer that Mohamed did not survive the accident, he refused to take the blame for the accident, and came clean before the police.

Chelladurai was earlier sentenced to three months' jail in April 2022.

Apart from the sentence, the court has also disqualified Vasanth from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for eight years from his date of release, The Times reported.

An offender can be jailed for up to three years and fined up to SGD 10,000 for causing a death by driving without reasonable consideration for other road users. [IANS/JS]