A 42-year-old Singapore Permanent Resident from China, Wang Lin, was sentenced to 6 weeks imprisonment earlier today (28 August) after pleading guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt.
According to Channel NewsAsia, he had pushed and injured a security officer, 56-year-old Mr Prakash Govindan Damodaran, after being told he was not allowed to enter the taxi lane at United Square.
What happened?
The incident in question occurred on November 6, 2021, outside United Square Shopping Mall. Wang Lin was driving his BMW X5 towards a taxi drop-off point.
At the same time, Mr. Prakash Govindan Damodaran, a 56-year-old security guard, was stationed on a chevron lane, managing traffic flow.
As Wang approached the taxi lane, Mr Damodaran gestured for him to stop, indicating that the lane was reserved for taxis. He also informed Wang that he could utilize the mall’s free parking grace period to pick up his passengers.
Wang’s reaction to this redirection was far from calm, as he swerved past the guard and eventually came to a stop. He then proceeded to confront Mr. Damodaran in an aggressive manner.
CCTV Footage and Evidence
The incident was captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage, providing clear evidence of Wang’s actions.
This visual evidence played a crucial role in establishing the sequence of events and the level of aggression displayed by the accused. The footage was presented in court, leaving little room for doubt regarding Wang’s actions.
Impact on the Victim
Mr Damodaran’s experience was deeply traumatic. Following the incident, he lodged a police report and sought medical attention multiple times.
Eventually, he was diagnosed with a fractured wrist and a ligament injury to his thumb. To aid in his recovery, he underwent rehabilitative therapy and had a splint placed on his injured thumb.
The Legal Proceedings
As a result of Wang’s behaviour, he was charged with voluntarily causing hurt to Mr Damodaran. In the subsequent legal proceedings, Wang pleaded guilty to the charge. The incident raised concerns not only about the safety of individuals tasked with traffic management but also about the broader issue of road rage and its consequences.