Back in 2020, the fatal stabbing of a jogger along Punggol Field shocked the nation.
A 20-year-old had left home with a knife for his nightly jog. As he tripped and fell, he grew vexed and stabbed the victim, who happened to jog past him at the time.
On Thursday (15 Sep), the suspect Surajsrikan Diwakar Mani Tripathi, now 22, pleaded guilty to the murder charge, admitting to slashing Tay Rui Hao, 38, with a foldable knife in a fit of rage.
He has been sentenced to life imprisonment and 15 strokes of the cane.
Surajsrikan was charged with one count of murder two years ago after the incident.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), an earlier examination revealed that he has a severe social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Both had crippling effects and resulted in low moods and anger. However, Surajsrikan did not have a depressive disorder.
The court also previously found him to have borderline to low intelligence. Despite this verdict, he did not have an intellectual disability or suffer from any psychotic disorder.
Ultimately, his disorders did not directly cause him to commit the murder, and he was not of unsound mind at the time of the incident.
Deputy public prosecutors called this a “senseless” murder, as Surajsrikan “simply wanted to vent his anger over his own circumstances.” They also noted that the accused showed a lack of remorse after committing the offence.
While they had no objections to the life imprisonment sentence, they also asked for 24 strokes of the cane, saying that it was a premeditated act as Surajsrikan went on a run with a knife.
Meanwhile, Surajsrikan’s defence counsel agreed with the sentence but asked for the accused not to be subjected to caning. He stressed that it was an act purely out of impulse due to the many ‘triggering’ circumstances surrounding the date of the incident.
When meting out the sentence, Justice Dedar Singh Gill said the verdict would not “bring back the victim” but hoped it would provide Tay’s family with closure.
“It is also my hope that the accused dutifully continues with his medication whilst in prison,” he said.
The Straits Times (ST) reports that the incident occurred on 10 May 2020. It was the date of Surajsrikan’s enlistment and the anniversary of the day his father abandoned his family.
As such, the then unemployed 20-year-old was frustrated and angry when he left for his nightly jog.
He brought along a Singapore Armed Forces-issued Swiss folding knife with a 9cm-long blade, serrated on one edge, and a wet wipe.
After he tripped and fell near bus stop number 65559 along Punggol Field Road, Surajsrikan grew angry.
Source: Google Maps
Tay then passed him by at around 11.10pm, and he unfolded his knife, giving chase before stabbing the victim in the back, arm and abdominal area. Both were complete strangers to one another at the time of the incident.
Surajsrikan left the area after, choosing not to call the police or an ambulance. He wandered around for one and a half hours before discarding the wet wipe and heading home at 12.30am.
When questioned about his whereabouts, he informed his family he had returned home late due to his fall. He also placed the knife in his cupboard.
Left to fend for himself, Tay was bleeding on a nearby grass patch following the slashing.
The jogger managed to call 995 for assistance, and authorities conveyed him to Sengkang General Hospital. He sustained multiple stab wounds and passed away from his injuries the next day.
Police managed to identify Surajsrikan through police cameras and arrested him, recovering the knife as well.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
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