SINGAPORE: A 17-year-old has been arrested over his suspected involvement in an incident in Punggol where a police officer was dragged by a personal mobility device (PMD).
Police said on Friday (Jan 23) that they were alerted at about 10.30pm on Thursday to a group of youths making excessive noise around Block 305A Punggol Road.
Members of the group began to scatter in various directions when officers arrived on the scene.
An officer stopped the suspect, who was seated on his PMD, by holding onto the device’s handlebar and his arm.
“Undeterred, the teenager abruptly accelerated the PMD, causing the officer to be dragged for a distance before falling off,” police said.
The suspect subsequently crashed his PMD into a nearby pillar and was arrested shortly after.
Police said the officer sustained lacerations on his forehead, left eyebrow and left cheek, and received about 20 stitches for his injuries. He was also given 13 days of medical leave.
The teen will be charged in court on Saturday for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty. If found guilty, he could face up to seven years’ jail and a fine, or caning.
Police said they have zero tolerance for acts of violence against officers or public servants carrying out their duties and will not hesitate to take firm action against those who endanger officers’ safety.
Investigations are ongoing.