Singapore: A 41-year-old Indian construction worker was today jailed for four years with nine strokes of the cane for slashing his estranged girlfriend with a penknife after she ignored his phone calls. Palaiyan Murugadass, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing grievous hurt by dangerous means, The Straits Times reported.

He was in a relationship with a 38-year-old domestic maid from the Philippines who has been working in Singapore since 2013. She initiated a break up with him in July, 2015. But Palaiyan was unwilling, and began to call her up to 30 times a day following which she ignored his calls.