Pandan Loop death: Indian national charged with murder

SINGAPORE — A 26-year-old Indian national was yesterday charged with the murder of a 26-year-old foreign worker who was found dead at Pandan Loop last Saturday.

Thiruppathi Veerapperumal (picture) is alleged to have caused the death of Murugaiya Suresh Kumar on the evening of Aug 23 near 72 Pandan Loop, along the exit road leading to West Coast Highway.

The police said they received a call about the case at around 10.30pm. Investigations are ongoing. The Singapore Civil Defence Force said previously that Kumar had sustained physical trauma on his head and neck, with deformities found on his left hand. He was pronounced dead on-site at around 10.50pm.

In a brief hearing yesterday, Veerapperumal, dressed in a grey collared shirt, appeared calm as the charge was read out to him. Speaking via a Tamil interpreter, he told the court: “Sir, I did not commit this offence.”

The district judge has ordered that the police be given more time to complete investigations. Veerapperumal will be remanded at the Central Police Division before being taken to the alleged crime scene.

He will return to court on Sept 3. If convicted, Veerapperumal faces the death penalty. Amanda Lee