An Indian-origin man in Singapore was fined 4,000 Singaporean dollars for flouting coronavirus disease (Covid-19) guidelines during New Year celebrations last year, according to a media report. Kotra Venkata Sai Rohankrishna, 19, pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching Covid-19 safe management measures for having dressed in a Spiderman costume on a riverside at a New Year's Eve party.
An Indian-origin man, donning a Spiderman costume, actively engaged the crowd for his YouTube channel. (AFP / Representational Image)
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Kotra was part of a group of nine celebrating the New Year, despite being not allowed to gather in groups larger than five. He and three of his friends joined a crowd in Clarke Quay to film the celebration, The Straits Times newspaper reported. Kotra, donning a Spiderman costume, actively engaged the crowd for his YouTube channel.
The video uploaded on his channel contained footage of him breaching Covid-19 safe management measures.
According to the court documents, Kotra came up with the idea of interviewing intoxicated members of the public to create a video for his YouTube channel. His two Chinese friends, Glaxy Low Xuan Ming and Lee Hern Sing, as well as another Indian-origin Putchakayala Akash agreed to help execute the idea.
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Lee and Akash operated the lighting and camera equipment, while Low would wear a wrestling mask and play-act in his video.
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Lee and Akash operated the lighting and camera equipment, while Low would wear a wrestling mask and play-act in his video.
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Deputy Public Prosecutor Jeremy Bin said that Kotra was in a Spiderman costume to attract attention, and kept the costume on for the rest of the night. He did not wear a face mask under it, in violation of the Covid-19 regulations.
The four minutes and 22 seconds long edited footage included a narration from Kotra in which he said "this New Year's celebration was a complete slap in the face to the law".
Bin submitted that Kotra had organised the outing in a premeditated breach but added, "Based on the nature of the breach and the accused's culpability, a fine is sufficient.
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"Nevertheless, the accused was the mastermind in the present case. His culpability is the highest of any person in the Clarke Quay incident charged thus far," he said.
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Home/World News/Indian-origin 'Spiderman' fined for flouting Covid rules in Singapore
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