A chicken stall owner armed with a chopper charged at a fruit seller during an altercation at 44 Holland Drive on Tuesday morning, leading the fruit seller to throw a chair at the chicken stall owner and restrain him in self-defense. The incident occurred around 11am on Tuesday.
The 57-year-old fruit seller, Mr Deng, told the Chinese daily that he has known the chicken stall owner for over 20 years. The chicken seller helps Mr Deng deliver vegetables from another stall he runs to a restaurant along Bukit Timah and Mr Deng believes an issue with this arrangement could have caused their friendship to sour.
According to Mr Deng, the chicken stall owner’s sister forbade her brother from transporting the vegetables since she felt the vegetables were too heavy and the chicken seller stopped helping Mr Deng deliver the items.
In what appears to be retaliation, Mr Deng ceased supplying the chicken seller with styrofoam boxes to pack chicken meat. Things were still normal, according to Mr Deng, until Tuesday:
“Things between us were still normal then, but he suddenly came to my stall at around 10am and started shouting at me. I ignored him and went on with my own business. When I came out from the toilet, I saw that he was holding a chopper and waiting in front of my stall for me!”
Mr Deng recounted that the chicken seller charged at him after seeing him exit the toilet, prompting Mr Deng to respond in self defense: “I grabbed a chair and threw it at him. Later I managed to pin him to the ground. Four or five of the aunties in the area also came to help me, and we disarmed him.”
The incident was caught on surveillance cameras in the market:
荷兰通道湿巴刹发生闹剧，卖鸡叔疑酒后光天化日下涉及持刀等候，一见水果叔便猛冲过去，水果叔称为自卫随手向他掷椅子，最后徒手抢走菜刀将他压倒。 完整报道：http://bit.ly/2rLLtMt
Posted by Shin Min Daily News 新明日报 on Wednesday, 16 May 2018
Mr Deng, a father of five, shared: “After the incident, my children were especially worried. Luckily I wasn’t injured.” He added: “We’ve known each other for so many years. Whatever happened, happened. Maybe he was a little drunk from the previous day. I will still forgive him and not avoid him.”
The police have confirmed that they have arrested a 48-year-old man in connection to a case of criminal intimidation at 11.40am on 15 May. Investigations are ongoing.