Singapore probes racist online comments targeting Indians

Singapore has launched a police investigation into a wave of racist and xenophobic online comments targeting Indians, which surfaced during discussions about the devastating floods in Nepal and the investment of Singapore Airlines in Air India. Senior Minister K Shanmugam condemned the remarks as "shameful, nasty, totally unacceptable" and directed authorities to identify those responsible. The controversy emerged as the public discussed the deadly disaster in Nepal, which began on August 26, 2026, with an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border. The resulting surge of water and debris through the Bhotekoshi River caused widespread destruction in northern and central Nepal. According to Nepal Police, the death toll has reached 1,344, with nearly 5,000 people still missing. More than 13,100 people have been rescued. The recovery effort is complicated by the condition of many bodies, prompting authorities to collect DNA samples from relatives of the missing to aid identification. Amid discussions about the disaster and the fate of nine Singaporeans reported missing, offensive comments appeared online.