Two maids reportedly fought over a romantic dispute, police stepped in when one pulled out a knife

SINGAPORE: A heated dispute, allegedly due to relationship concerns, occurred between two domestic helpers at a Tampines HDB block. The fight escalated when one of the maids pulled out a knife, prompting the authorities to arrive at the scene.

According to case details, the incident happened in the stairwell on the second floor of the HDB block. Shin Min Daily News received a report from a concerned resident that she heard arguments and that she went to investigate. She saw a maid squatting on the ground, crying, and several police officers were also present.

When the reporters arrived, another resident, a 75-year-old, shared that he and his wife heard arguments coming from the stairwell. When his wife checked what was happening, she found that one of people involved was their neighbor’s maid, and the other was believed to be a maid from another HDB flat. Both maids were Indonesian nationals. 

Furthermore, the resident admitted that his wife witnessed one of the maids holding a small knife. His wife then tried to intervene, but kept the distance for her own safety. 

Later on, police cars arrived at the scene and riot police with long guns went into the stairwell to subdue the maid who was holding the knife. The said maid tried to struggle but was eventually subdued from behind by the police and taken away in an ambulance.

The 35-year-old woman was arrested for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and was taken to the hospital while conscious. The other maid involved returned to her employer’s home. 

The resident revealed that the two maids had known each other for more than six months, and suspected that the fight might involve a romantic relationship. 

The case is still under investigation. 

Other related news 

In similar news related to Singaporean disputes, there was a report where a male customer slapped a female employee at a food store, and in response, the female employee threw a chair and hit him with a basket full of spoons and forks.

It was discovered that the fight was caused by a misunderstanding about seating arrangements. 

Read more about the story here.