9 more arrested over Chinatown parang attack; 2 suspects at large
Police appeal for information on two men still on the run following parang attack
The search continues for two people linked to a rioting case at a Chinatown apartment block on Sunday, after police arrested nine more suspects - eight men and one woman - on Tuesday.
The nine suspects, aged between 18 and 28, 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 people at the riot scene on Sunday.
A police spokesman told The Straits Times on Tuesday 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.
A video of the early morning fight, which was captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV), shows the two groups fighting along a corridor on level 16 of the People's Park Centre apartment block 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 three people at the scene, 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 in 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, who declined 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 in the CCTV footage standing with a few friends on level 16 before they were attacked by the armed men.
COLLAPSED
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.
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 appealing for information on the whereabouts of two suspects linked to the incident.
They are: Muhammad Syukri Muhammad Iskandar and Muhammad Ilham Noordin.
Anyone with information may call the CID hotline on 6435-0000.
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