Detective Tan Kee Chuan (Bukit Brown)

It started with Raymond Goh sharing a newspaper article about a police officer's funeral at Bukit Brown and the circumstances of his death while on active duty. Armed with the burial location, we eventually found the tomb and it was a very simple one unlike the other well-known policeman buried in Bukit Brown, Inspector Wong Chin Yoke. Soil movement has cause the headstone to dislodge from the tomb shoulder and the headstone has tilted slight with the engravings partially covered by soil. But finally at least we can now remember Detective Tan Kee Chuan (D.P.C. 748) who was killed on active duty on 30 July 1932. He was 24 years old when he died. 

Detective Tan Kee Chuan, (D.P.C. 748)

Full Honours Accorded At Funeral

The article describes the funeral service of Chinese policeman, Tan Kee Chuan (D.P.C. 748), who was murdered while on duty. The funeral was held at Bukit Brown cemetery on Monday morning with full service honors. All members of D division, along with N.C.O.'s representing other divisions, attended. A firing party was provided by the Sikh contingent with notable officers present who included, C.P.O. Mr. V.G. Savi, the Assistant Superintendent of D division, Mr. B.F. Oakeshott and Assistant Superintendent of the Sikh contingent, Mr. R.E. Hope-Falkner. 

The incident occurred early Saturday morning, 30 July 1932 at 4 and 3/4 mile at Pasir Panjang Road. Tan Kee Chuan (D.P.C. 748) was on patrol with an Indian colleague, K. Mallayan (D.P.C. 14). They were on special patrol looking for Communist pamphlets. While on patrol around 2:30 am, they noticed three Javanese men acting suspiciously and when approached, the suspects fled toward a jungle area. Both detectives gave chase. Tan Kee Chuan who was ahead was ambushed when one of the suspect pulled out a parang and fatally stabbed him. The suspects then focus their attention on R. Mallayan, who fired nine shots as the suspects attacked. The suspects fled into the jungle. K. Mallayan blew his whistle and 3 Chinese and 2 Bengalis came to the scene and help pulled the mortally wounded policeman to the roadside. Tan Kee Chuan died before he could be moved to a hospital. It was later reveal that he received 8 stab wounds, one of which was a fatal stab on the right side. The cause of death was shock from hemorrhaged from the stab wound. 

Later investigation found one Javanese suspect dead with a gunshot to the heart and a parang beside him. The dead assailant was identified as Daeng Talip alias Ismail. Stolen property from an earlier kedai (shop) raid was found on his body. The other two suspects weren't found, though there were signs one was wounded.

Location of tomb 

Block 3 Division C, plot 828C. 

8RQG+8VF Singapore

Tan Kee Chuan  - in the burial records written also as Tan Kay Cheong (Tan Chee Chuan) was buried with police honors in Bukit Brown on 31 July 1932. 

References

Chinese Detective Murdered. (1932, August 1). The Straits Times, page 12

Desperate Duel in Pasir Panjang. (1932, August 11). The Straits Budget, page 2