Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News and Flo Yeow on Google Maps, for illustration purposes only.
A disagreement between two stallholders at a Toa Payoh coffeeshop over a chair ended with a 72-year-old rojak vendor being shoved to the ground and taken to hospital last Sunday (10 Aug).
According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident happened at about 1.45pm at the coffee shop under Block 183 Toa Payoh Central, where both women operate stalls.
Source: Flo Yeow on Google Maps, for illustration purposes only
The younger vendor, who runs a Western food stall, has been there for about four months, while the elderly woman started her rojak stall one to two months ago.
Police were later called to the scene.
The 28-year-old Western food stallholder, identified only as “Jane”, said the dispute began when the elderly woman kicked a chair, which bumped into a poster stand outside her stall.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
When Jane asked her to place the chair back properly, the elderly woman allegedly pushed her first.
Jane said she shoved the rojak vendor back in retaliation, causing the latter to lose her balance and fall to the ground.
A drinks stall vendor at the coffeeshop told Shin Min Daily News that the elderly woman hit the back of her head when she fell.
“She didn’t look badly hurt, but because she hit the back of her head, the police told her to go to the hospital for a check-up,” she said.
Speaking to MS News, the police confirmed that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) took the 72-year-old woman to hospital while she was conscious.
They added that the 28-year-old woman is assisting with investigations for the alleged use of criminal force.
Jane acknowledged the two had a strained relationship but admitted she should not have pushed the older woman given her age.
During the rojak vendor’s hospital stay, her younger sister has been manning the stall in her place.
The elderly woman’s son told Shin Min Daily News that his mother had said she was seated at a table outside the Western food stall when the dispute began.
“She’s already elderly,” he said. “If she were injured from the fall, the consequences could be serious.”
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News and Flo Yeow on Google Maps, for illustration purposes only.