Man jailed more than 19 months for setting fire to debtor's HDB flat, almost killing family of 7

A Malaysian man who accepted money to set fire to a debtor's home in Singapore — nearly trapping and killing a family of seven inside their HDB flat —  was sentenced to 19 months and two weeks' jail.

Early this month, Vellu Pillai P Sivakkumar, 33, pleaded guilty to one charge of committing mischief by fire.

A second charge of unlawful imprisonment was taken into consideration during sentencing, reported Shin Min Daily News.

The offence took place in the early hours of Dec 8, 2023, at an HDB block in Tampines, where the victim, a 41-year-old man, his wife, their two young children, his parents and his sister were asleep inside the unit.

According to court documents, the victim was under police investigation for alleged fraud and was facing financial difficulties linked to unpaid debts.

He had also received threatening messages from those he owed money to prior to the attack.

Sivakkumar was recruited in late November 2023 by an unknown individual who offered him $2,500 to harass residents and set fire to their homes, reported the Chinese publication.

Though he initially refused the offer, he came around after being promised a $400 advance payment.

After reaching Singapore from Johor Bahru, he was given the address of the targeted unit.

How it happened

On the day of the offence, at about 4.35am, Sivakkumar allegedly siphoned petrol from his motorcycle into a bottle, disguised himself with a hooded top, mask and hat, and used an umbrella while moving through the stairwell to avoid detection.

He also chained the unit's metal gate from the outside before setting fire to the entrance and fleeing the scene after photographing the blaze.

Inside the flat, the victim's father woke up around 4.40am after detecting a burning smell and hearing a sound outside the unit. 

He discovered the entrance engulfed in flames and alerted the rest of the household.

The victim's wife then checked the home's security camera system and realised that the unit had been deliberately targeted before immediately contacting the police.

Sivakkumar surrendered to the Malaysian police on Sept 4, 2025, and was handed over to the Singapore police the same day for investigations.

In his plea, he claimed he committed the offence because his wife was pregnant and he needed money to pay for her medical expenses, reported Shin Min Daily News.