Man beaten to death over lighter July 1, 2005 - 12:35PM Page Tools
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A Singaporean man was kicked and beaten to death in the English city of Manchester after he was unable to give a teenage gang a lighter for a cigarette, news reports said today.
The gang kicked and stomped on Mugilan Sutherman, a 43-year-old father of four, according to The Straits Times.
Five youths, including two girls aged 14 and 15, were arrested in connection with the killing on Tuesday.
Mugilan moved to England 10 years ago and earned a degree in manufacturing engineering from Salford University.
He was chatting with his friend, pizza shop manager Mohammed Hussein, when the teenagers approached and asked for a lighter, the report said.
Mugilan said he did not have one, but they could use the cigarette he was smoking.
"All of a sudden they just started smacking him," the manager was quoted as saying. "He fell to the floor and they kicked him and stamped on his head."
Mugilan died of head injuries in a hospital three hours later.
