'My prayers have been answered', says victim's wife
Man surrenders himself in connection with Serangoon hit-and-run case.
Thu, Jun 25, 2009
The New Paper
By Zaihan Mohamed Yusof
HER agonising wait for answers appears to be over.
Mrs Rani Asotharman is one step closer to finding out how her husband of 30 years was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Saturday morning.
The police said a man in his 20s surrendered himself in connection with the case yesterday.
Mrs Asotharman, 57, who was informed of the man's surrender, said: 'My prayers have been answered, now that he (the suspect) has surrendered. At least it will shed some light on what really happened.'
The housewife had appealed in The New Paper yesterday for witnesses to step forward and the driver of the car to give himself up to police.
Her husband, Mr Asotharman Kunonpuram, 57, was hit along Serangoon Road, near the intersection with Hindoo Road around 5.30am.
The driver did not stop to help the seriously injured man.
Why didn't he help? That is what Mrs Asotharman, who has no children, wants to ask if she meets the driver in court one day.
'If he (the driver) had stopped or slowed down, the impact could perhaps have been less.
| READ MORE - Hit & run: Driver flees and dumps car |
'Maybe my husband could have been saved or at least be able to live for a few more hours. Then he would have been able to leave me some last words before he died.'
Mr Asotharman, a cleaner, was on his way to work that morning after leaving his Klang Lane flat, less than 20m from where he was killed
He was crossing Serangoon Road to get to Jalan Besar when he was struck by the car, said family members.
The impact left severe injuries on Mr Asotharman's legs, hands and face. He was pronounced dead by paramedics at 6.20am.
Surprised
Added Mrs Asotharman's sister-in-law, Mrs Veni Karu, 48: 'Honestly, we didn't expect the driver to surrender. May be it was guilt that made him turn himself in.
'I'm just angry that he did not bother to regulate his speed on the road. Serangoon Road has many traffic lights. He should have known his limit.'
It is believed that the car which struck Mr Asotharman had been stolen earlier.
It was found abandoned at Boon Keng Road, about 2km away.
The driver is likely to face charges related to his leaving the scene without rendering help to Mr Asotharman.
He may also be charged with stealing the car.
Police said investigations are continuing.
