SINGAPORE - Three Indian nationals accused originally of murdering their compatriot at Pandan Loop now each face an amended charge of causing grievous hurt.

Karthikeyan Prabakaran, 28, Thiruppathi Veerapperumal, 27, and Chellappan Sankar, 29, are alleged to have grievously hurt technician Murugaiya Suresh Kumar in the industrial estate along the exit road leading to West Coast Highway between 10.10pm and 10.33pm on Aug 23 last year.

They allegedly hit the 26-year-old on the head with iron rods multiple times together with Ananthan Seeralan, 25, who is on the run.

Mr Kumar was an employee of Poly NDT, which carries out testing and inspections of parts of ships, such as hulls. Police found him lying motionless on the ground and he was pronounced dead at about 10.50pm that day.

No bail was offered to the trio on Tuesday (Oct 20).

A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Nov 9.

If convicted, they could be jailed for up to 15 years and liable to fine or caning.