Chinatown riot arose from dispute over woman, another 9 suspects arrested

Posted on 13 May 2020 | 45,412 views | 131 comments

Zaihan Mohamed Yusof
The Straits Times
May 13, 2020

Nine more suspects - eight men and one woman - were arrested on Tuesday (May 12) for rioting at a Chinatown apartment block on Sunday.

Aged between 18 and 28, they were nabbed following a police manhunt over three days by officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Police Intelligence Department and Central Police Division.

Police had earlier arrested three persons at the riot scene on Sunday.

On Tuesday, a police spokesman told The Straits Times that preliminary investigations found that two groups of men, one armed with parangs, had clashed following a relationship dispute over a woman.

They are also being investigated for being members of an unlawful society and rioting while armed with deadly weapons.

The early-morning fight that was captured on closed-circuit television shows the two groups fighting along a corridor on Level 16 of People's Park Centre apartments in Upper Cross Street.

The minute-long footage was widely shared on social media and WhatsApp group chats.

The police, alerted at about 3.30am, arrested the three persons, including 19-year-old Muhammad Shazryl Hykel, who was injured and taken to Singapore General Hospital.

His mother told ST on Monday that he was wounded on his arms, legs, abdomen and face but was in a stable condition.

"I didn't get to speak to him because he was sedated and bandaged up. Most of his injuries were slash wounds," added Madam Samantha, declining to give her full name.

A post-fight photograph circulating on WhatsApp group chats shows a dazed Mr Hykel sitting next to a pool of blood.

He was earlier seen on the CCTV footage standing with a few friends at Level 16 before they were attacked by the armed men.

PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

Two of his friends fled as Mr Hykel and another friend were kicked, punched and hit with motorcycle helmets.

Mr Hykel was also slashed by at least three parang-wielding men until he collapsed.

The attackers fled, with one of them dragging a woman away with them.

Another CCTV footage shows them later at another location before they went their separate ways.

PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

Madam Samantha described her son as a "quiet and respectful boy" who lived with his girlfriend. "I don't know about his activities," she said. "We won't know what happened until he wakes up."

Police are also investigating one of the suspects for harbouring two of the arrested men.

Said its spokesman: "The Police would like to remind the public that harbouring fugitives is a serious offence punishable with imprisonment and fine."

PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

All of the suspects will be investigated as well for breach of safe distancing measures under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.

Meanwhile, the Police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of two persons linked to the incident. They are: Muhammad Syukri Muhammad Iskandar and Muhammad Ilham Noordin.