Traffic marshal who stopped runaway horse thought officers were ‘joking’
Sergeant Uvarajah Krishnasamy says he has witnessed many incidents in his 16 years with Certis. But nothing prepared him for a horse on the loose.
SGT Uvarajah switched off the siren on his motorbike so as to not scare the horse. (Photos: Facebook/Certis and CNA/Jeremy Long)
SINGAPORE: When Sergeant (APF) Uvarajah Krishnasamy was alerted to a horse galloping along an expressway, he thought the other officers were joking.
“I was surprised. How come there is a horse on the road? … I thought they were joking … I asked (them) to repeat again. Are you sure there’s a horse on the road?” the auxiliary police officer told CNA.
This was last Saturday (Jul 8), and the horse was on the Bukit Timah Expressway, or BKE.
In videos circulating online, the brown horse is seen weaving through traffic on the expressway.
The Certis officer of 16 years, who had stints in bank security and escorting prison inmates before becoming a traffic marshal, headed to where the horse was last seen.
Before he reached the Turf Club Avenue exit on the expressway, he switched off the siren on his motorbike to avoid spooking the horse.
It was not the first time a horse was spotted on Singapore's roads, but it was SGT Uvarajah's first time attempting to handle a horse by himself.
He has been horse-riding before on holiday but that was "handled by someone" and the horse was trained, he said. "I didn't know what was the condition of this horse and how to tackle (it)."
The 39-year-old father-of-two was also afraid that the horse would kick him, having seen videos of their “powerful” kicks.
WHAT HAPPENED
As SGT Uvarajah neared the horse's location, he had to squeeze between cars in a traffic jam as drivers slowed down to take photos of the animal.
He tried to get the horse to stop, but it would not. So he decided to block the horse with his motorbike, but gave the animal ample space.
"I’m an animal lover," said SGT Uvarajah, who has four dogs. "I didn't want the animal to get injured. (But) I also needed to protect road users’ lives.
"Once the horse stopped, I gained some confidence because it did not react aggressively or (make) a U-turn," said the traffic marshal.
But the situation could still turn ugly, as the horse appeared “angry” based on the sounds it was making.
To calm down the horse, SGT Uvarajah gently patted it on its head and the animal lowered its head to him. Sensing an opportunity, he grabbed the lead attached to the horse.
It took him 15 to 20 minutes to take the horse back to the Singapore Turf Club. Along the way, he handled the horse while directing traffic away from the animal.
The horse was “very good” and listened to his commands, he said.
The horse, which belongs to Bukit Timah Saddle Club, was eventually returned safely to its stable, the Turf Club said. A spokesperson added that the horse had found its way outside its stable and "onto the roads briefly".
The Animal and Veterinary Service said it is investigating and is working with Bukit Timah Saddle Club to prevent a repeat of the incident.
BECOMING “FAMOUS”
SGT Uvarajah, who joined Certis in 2007, said part of his job entails helping road users in emergency situations. When alerted to incidents, he heads down to the scene, evaluates the situation and activates relevant authorities such as the police or the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
Although he has not had any training in dealing with animals, his team has handled cases involving smaller animals such as cats and dogs.
Looking back on the horse incident, he said he is proud of himself for successfully handling a challenging situation.
“I had to handle both … traffic and animal. The traffic is handled by the humans, (who) can listen to us … but animals are different.”
When asked how his family members reacted to the videos of him with the horse, SGT Uvarajah said his mother told him to frame his photo with the horse for posterity.
His sister also said he must be “very thankful” to the horse for making him famous.
“I worked at Cisco for 16 years but did not get famous. After handling one horse, I became famous,” he said with a laugh.
