Singapore: A 25-year-old Indian lorry driver in Singapore has been sentenced to one year in prison for not giving way to an elderly cyclist crossing the road. This has been said in a media report. Udayappan Vasanth on Monday pleaded guilty to a case of causing death by driving without regard for other road users and perverting the course of justice. Apart from causing the accident, he persuaded his colleague, Rajendran Chelladurai, another Indian national, to take the blame for the crime.
Vasanth was driving towards a zebra crossing at a speed of about 40 kmph on April 16, 2022, when he saw 64-year-old Abdul Aziz Syed Mohammed crossing on a bicycle. He did not give way to the cyclist and the lorry hit Mohammed, throwing him about seven meters onto the road. The report states that Chelladurai was sitting on the front passenger seat at the time. According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Kai, traffic 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 in the lorry did not capture the accident because its memory card had been damaged. Mohamad was taken to Changi General Hospital, where he was found to have further injuries, including a fracture to his skull. He was soon declared dead. Vasanth was on probation as a driver. He asked Chelladurai to take the blame for the accident as he feared that his license might be cancelled. Kai told the court, the co-accused agreed to the request.. because he was appointed as the driver of the lorry on April 16, 2022, and he was afraid that (his employer) would come to know that he was driving the lorry. Wasn’t driving
Chelladurai was arrested and continued his lie when he recorded his statement. According to reports, he was released on bail later that evening. Two days later, when Chelladurai learned from his employer that Mohammad had died in the accident, he refused to take the blame for the accident and presented an explanation to the police. Chelladurai was earlier sentenced to three months in jail in April 2022.
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