Indian-origin woman jailed for assaulting Singapore police officer

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A 21-year-old Indian-origin woman was jailed for three months in Singapore on Wednesday for shoving a policeman in the chest and pinning him against a wall in a chokehold while he was trying to question her about a scuffle involving at least six people.

The incident took place at Singapore's Orchard Towers shopping centre in October last year, the Straits Times reported on Wednesday.

Resshmi B. Rasmi assaulted Station Inspector Gerald Chan Wee Ming while he was trying to question her and several others about the fight. He managed to break free from her but she became violent when his colleagues tried to arrest her.

The woman struggled and swung her arms around, smacking the left hand of another policeman, 21-year-old Sergeant Chng Yong En, the report said. She was arrested after more police officers arrived at the scene.

Rasmi pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting Station Inspector Chan and was jailed for three months on Wednesday. One count of using criminal force on Sgt Chng was considered during sentencing.

According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Zhi Hao, the police received a call on October 27 morning about a commotion in front of a club in the Orchard Road shopping mall.

The police officials arrived at the scene and saw a scuffle involving a group of least six people, including Rasmi. They managed to defuse the situation and were trying to find out more about it when a man from the group suddenly ran into a nearby toilet, the report said.

The other people, including Rasmi, followed him inside, and the officers called for backup, as they did not want to lose control of the situation.

The police said the group then became increasingly rowdy and the two officers blocked the door of the toilet to stop them from leaving.

When the officers attempted again to establish the facts of the incident, "the group refused to comply and tried to push their way out of the toilet", said the Deputy Public Prosecutor.

Rasmi, who was inside the toilet, then charged towards Station Inspector Chan and assaulted him. The officer had a bruise and a scratch mark on his chest and was given two days of medical leave.

The Deputy Public Prosecutor told District Judge Luke Tan that Rasmi's actions "could potentially have caused the incident to escalate".

Offenders convicted of assaulting a policeman can be jailed for up to seven years and fined or caned. Rasmi cannot be caned as she is a woman.