Indian-origin man guilty of religious offense in Singapore

A Singapore court on Wednesday sentenced an Indian-origin man to 14 weeks in prison for hurting religious feelings and using abusive words against a public official, a local media reported. The 36-year-old, Vikneswaran V Moganaval, pleaded guilty to one count under the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act and another charge of using abusive words against a public servant, the Channel News Asia (CNA) reported. He was angry because his neighbour’s children often played along the common corridor near his apartment, including again on Diwali last year.

His neighbour lived with her husband, three children, mother-in-law, sister, and a helper in the same corridor. He had earlier complained to the Community Policing Unit about the noise problem. At first, the problem improved, but he got angry when the children played there on Diwali last year, which was his festival, and he said he had to cancel a gathering at his home. Vikneshwaran was aware that his neighbour and her family were Malay-Muslim and that pork is forbidden in Islam. In anger, he opened a can of pork and spread it on the corridor floor, wanting his neighbours to see the pork when they walked past.