Five men were sentenced to jail and caning for their involvement in a violent brawl at Concorde Hotel and Shopping Mall in Orchard Road in 2023, which resulted in the death of a former bouncer. The five, aged between 26 and 34, were convicted of rioting and received sentences ranging from two to three years in jail, along with between two and six strokes of the cane.
Those sentenced were:
- Sridharan Elangovan: 36 months’ jail, six strokes of the cane
- Manojkumar Velayanatham: 30 months’ jail, four strokes
- Sashikumar Pakirsamy: 24 months’ jail, two strokes
- Puthenvilla Keith Peter: 26 months’ jail, three strokes
- Raja Rishi: 30 months’ jail, four strokes
Each had pleaded guilty to rioting, with three of them—Sridharan, Manojkumar, and Sashikumar—linked to a secret society.
Another man, Asvain Pachan Pillai Sukumaran, was charged with murder for allegedly stabbing 29-year-old Mohammad Isrrat Mohd Ismail, a former bouncer at Club Rumours. His case is still pending.
Court documents revealed that six other men were also involved in the riot, with five additional individuals named as friends of the group. Isrrat and his friend, Muhammad Shahrulnizam Osman, 30, were former bouncers and members of a different secret society.
The Incident
On August 19, 2023, a group of at least 10 people, including several accused, began drinking at various clubs before gathering at Club Rumours at Concorde Hotel. By 4.46 am, Isrrat and Shahrulnizam arrived, with Isrrat intending to pass a wedding invitation to club staff. They sat near the club entrance, opposite the accused.
The club’s chief bouncer became wary upon recognizing secret society members in the group. Alerting other bouncers, he instructed them to arm themselves with knives—an action Isrrat also followed.
At around 6 am, as the club was closing, Isrrat directed a profanity at the accused’s group, triggering a confrontation. A verbal exchange escalated, and during the altercation, Isrrat punched Asvain. A physical struggle broke out, leading to pushing and shoving between both sides. The fight moved towards Kramat Lane before Isrrat and Shahrulnizam ran back into Concorde, pursued by the accused.
Inside the building, multiple individuals attacked Isrrat, punching and kicking him near an escalator while Shahrulnizam managed to escape back into the club. At one point, Isrrat stabbed someone in the forehead. Eventually, the group cornered Isrrat at a glass door exit and continued their assault.
As the attack continued outside, Asvain picked up a knife that Isrrat had dropped and stabbed him multiple times. Sridharan delivered another kick while another attacker stomped on him. The group then fled the scene.
Staff at Club Rumours called an ambulance for Isrrat, who was bleeding heavily. He was taken to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries at 6.59 am.
Following the attack, Asvain and four others, including Sridharan and Manojkumar, attempted to flee to Johor Bahru but were arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint. Other accused were later apprehended, with two surrendering voluntarily.
An autopsy found 32 injuries on Isrrat’s body, including eight stab wounds, with the cause of death being stab wounds to his torso.
Legal Consequences
Shahrulnizam, who was also involved, was sentenced earlier to two years and nine months in jail, plus 12 strokes of the cane.
During sentencing, District Judge Eddy Tham emphasized the seriousness of rioting, particularly when violence is inflicted. He noted that in heated situations, group violence can escalate quickly and spiral out of control.
While some involved were part of secret societies, the judge deemed their affiliation "tenuous" in this case, as they had gathered for a birthday celebration. Instead, he identified Isrrat’s use of profanities as the trigger for the violence.
Rioting in Singapore carries a maximum jail term of seven years and mandatory caning.
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