Jail for drunken man who shoved stranger into river, causing him to drown

Drunk after consuming two cans of beer, a man pushed another intoxicated man he did not know into the Singapore River and caused the latter to drown.

- Christine Tan

Prosecutors said Legha Pawan's act on June 30, 2024, which led to the death of Mr Jasbir Singh, 33, was unprovoked and done for no apparent reason.

On July 16, Legha, 22, was sentenced to two years and 11 months' jail after he admitted to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt which causes grievous hurt.

Another charge of using criminal force on a woman on the same night was taken into consideration for sentencing.

Both Legha and Mr Singh are Indian nationals. Mr Singh, a construction worker, was married and had two young children.

The court heard that Legha had come to Singapore to further his studies and was enrolled at the private educational institution Birmingham Academy at the time.

That evening, Legha and five of his housemates were in the Clarke Quay area, where they bought beer and snacks and sat on steps by the riverside talking. Other acquaintances soon joined them.

Before 10pm, an argument broke out, and an intoxicated Legha pulled the hair of one of the women in the group. One of his housemates pulled him away, and the group quickly dispersed.

Around 10 minutes later, Mr Singh was walking along the river. He had begun drinking heavily after his mother died a few months earlier and was intoxicated that night.