Man, 21, faces 5 years in prison on amended charge of pushing other man into S'pore River, causing his death

A 21-year-old man who pushed another man into the Singapore River waters near Clarke Quay had his charges amended.

Previously, Legha Pawan was charged on Jul. 2 for causing death by rash act.

According to court documents, Pawan had pushed 33-year-old Jasbir Singh once in the chest at the riverside along the Singapore River on Jun. 30, 2024 at around 10:15pm.

Pawan allegedly did this, knowing it was likely to cause hurt, which was not grievous but caused death.

Under the amended charge of voluntarily causing hurt, which causes grievous hurt, Pawan could face up to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to S$10,000 or both if found guilty.

Added charge

Pawan also had an extra charge handed to him for allegedly pulling the hair of a woman in front of him.

According to court documents, Pawan had allegedly used criminal force on a woman on Jun. 30 at around 8:00pm by pulling her hair while he stood behind her.

If found guilty, Pawan could face up to three months in prison, a fine of up to S$1,500, or both.

What happened

Police said they received a call for assistance regarding a man who had fallen into the waters of the Singapore River on Jun. 30 at 10:15pm.

Divers from SCDF's Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) were deployed to perform an underwater search.

The body of the 33-year-old man was subsequently retrieved 3m from shore, at a depth of about 3m, SCDF told Mothership.

He was pronounced dead at the scene by a SCDF paramedic.

Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from police cameras and CCTVs, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Central Police Division, and Woodlands Police Division established the identity of the 21-year-old man, said the police.

They subsequently arrested him in relation to the incident, added the police.

Related stories

Top photos via Xiaohongshu & Canva