Post by : Badri Ariffin

Singapore police are investigating an incident in which a 73-year-old man was allegedly pushed to the ground at a food court after he patted a young girl on the head.

The incident happened on Saturday at a shopping centre in Singapore and was captured on security camera footage. The video later went viral on social media, sparking widespread discussion and public support for the elderly man.

Police said on Sunday night that they had identified a 40-year-old man who was involved in the altercation. Authorities have urged the public not to speculate about what happened and said investigations are ongoing to establish the facts.

What Happened at the Food Court?

According to the video circulating online, the elderly man was walking past a table where a young girl was sitting with her family. As he passed, he appeared to gently pat the girl on the head.

A woman sitting at the table, believed to be the girl's mother, immediately stopped him. Shortly afterwards, another man, believed to be the girl's father, returned to the table and confronted the elderly man.

The two men appeared to have a heated exchange. The younger man was then seen grabbing the elderly man's arm and throwing him to the ground.

The incident has led to debate online. Some people said the elderly man should not have touched the child without her parents' permission. However, many others felt that physically confronting and pushing an elderly person was an excessive response.

Elderly Man Identified as Food Stall Owner

The elderly man has been identified as Yeo Song Khoon, the owner of Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle, a small family-run food stall located at the food court.

Yeo's family said he is in his 70s and has previous leg and hip injuries. They also said that he initially did not want to pursue the matter further.

In a social media post, the family said the younger man later sat down with Yeo, apologised and offered him a drink. However, Yeo's son said his father subsequently experienced severe back pain following the fall.

The family later appealed to the public for help identifying the man involved in the incident.

Yeo Receives Support From Customers

The incident generated significant public support for Yeo and his family-run noodle stall.

Long queues reportedly formed outside the food stall, with customers waiting for more than an hour for a bowl of noodles.

Yeo was seen taking orders at the front of the stall but declined to discuss the incident further. He said he felt overwhelmed by the sudden attention.

Customers also asked about his health, while some took photographs with him. A notice at the stall said it would be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Elderly Man Sought Medical Treatment

An update shared on the stall's Instagram account on Sunday said Yeo had gone to hospital to receive medical attention after the incident.

Yeo previously told Singapore's Channel NewsAsia that he patted the girl's head because he thought she was "very adorable". He explained that older people sometimes show affection towards young children in this way.

He also said that he began experiencing pain several hours after the fall and was taking paracetamol to manage it.

Police Urge Public Not to Speculate

Singapore police have confirmed that they have identified the 40-year-old man involved in the incident.

Authorities urged members of the public not to speculate about the incident or its circumstances while investigations continue.

Police said the investigation would establish the facts of the case before further action is taken.

Yeo's son has thanked the police for responding to the matter and said he sincerely hoped that justice would be served for his father.

The incident continues to attract attention in Singapore, with many people expressing concern over the treatment of an elderly man while also debating whether the initial interaction with the child was appropriate.

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