Five arrested in bloody clash over pub hostess in Spottiswoode Park

Three of the men end up in hospital after fight in housing estate

Five men were arrested after a fight over a pub hostess erupted into a violent confrontation in a private housing estate.

The clash, which involved the use of parangs and ended with three of the men in hospital, happened shortly after 4am on Monday at Block 102, Spottiswoode Park Road.

Police, who received a call for help at around 4.20am that day, have confirmed they are investigating the case of voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous means.

One of the men injured in the attack is 42-year-old Mohd Hamdan Noordin, who works as a chef.

Speaking from his bed at Singapore General Hospital, he told The Straits Times that the incident erupted after the Filipino hostess cosied up to his friend while they were at a pub in Orchard Road. He believes this angered the hostess' boyfriend.

Mr Hamdan said that after he and two friends left the pub in a car, they stopped along Spottiswoode Park Road in Tanjong Pagar.

They were smoking when three men armed with parangs set upon them, he said.

"When I saw them take out their parangs, I knew I had to protect my friend. I shielded him, and they attacked me instead," said Mr Hamdan, who told one of his friends to run.

"I'm still in a lot of pain."

His ear lobe was sliced off in the scuffle, and he has wounds from being slashed on his arms and legs.

When asked about being arrested, he said: "I will accept whatever is there... I know that I was not fighting for the sake of fighting.

"I just wanted to protect myself."

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it sent three ambulances to the scene, and found that three men had suffered multiple injuries.

Housewife Susmita Lim, 37, who lives in the Spottiswoode Park Road estate, said that she saw a white car with blood stains that morning around 8am.

There were also police cars in the area.

"My friends' parents who live at Block 102 heard some commotion and shouting, and their neighbours' car had blood splattered on it," she said.

But she is not too affected by the incident.

"There is a stretch of pubs at Kampong Bahru, and I think some of the hostesses rent the apartments in this area. But it's still safe. I don't recall any other fights in recent years."

limyihan@sph.com.sg

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