A 26-year-old homeless man, unable to work in Singapore due to his student pass status, was sentenced to 8½ years in jail, 12 strokes of the cane, and a $1,000 fine after attacking a 64-year-old woman with a razor blade during a failed robbery on March 4. The assailant, Indian National Shamsher Singh, was convicted of causing grievous hurt while attempting to commit robbery. He also pleaded guilty to separate charges of theft and assaulting a teenage boy.
The attack occurred on November 10, 2022, at around 8:30 p.m. The victim, a retail assistant, was returning home from work when she got off bus service 31 near the Singapore Association for the Deaf. Struggling to walk up the stairs of an overhead bridge, she used the lift instead.
Singh, who had been sitting at the bus stop, spotted the woman and decided to target her. He took out an unused disposable razor, unwrapped it, and discreetly held it between his fingers. When the victim exited the lift, he followed her onto the bridge.
Halfway across, Singh grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth with his left hand to prevent her from screaming. He then slashed her neck with the razor and demanded money. Before she could respond, he repeatedly cut her arms with the blade as she struggled.
Despite the attack, the woman fought back, pulling on Singh’s hoodie and exposing his face. As he quickly tried to cover himself, her face mask fell off, and she managed to shout “Robbery!” Singh attempted to silence her by covering her mouth again, but she bit his hand, forcing him to let go. In retaliation, he bit her wrist before dropping the razor and fleeing the scene.
The injured victim contacted the police and was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where she received treatment for multiple wounds. She was given 30 days of hospitalization leave and was unable to resume her normal routine for 63 days.
Singh was arrested just hours later at East Coast Park, where he was found with his girlfriend at around 2:20 a.m.
During the trial, Singh admitted to causing the victim’s injuries but claimed he had acted in self-defense. He alleged that he had been at Trent Global College earlier that day, later meeting his girlfriend at Tekka Centre before returning to Mountbatten Road. He claimed he accidentally brushed against the victim’s hand on the overhead bridge and apologized, but she responded with vulgarities and racial insults. According to him, she then attacked him, and he swung the razor in self-defense before fleeing.
The prosecution rejected his claims, stating that the elderly woman was a credible witness and had no reason to initiate an attack. Deputy Public Prosecutor Tung Shou Pin criticized Singh’s account, calling it a “nonsensical tale” and highlighting that if he had truly been attacked, he should have reported it to the police.
In addition to the robbery attempt, Singh was also sentenced for two unrelated offenses. In September 2022, he assaulted a 17-year-old boy, fracturing his wrist. Around the same time, he stole a $519 watch from a female housemate. After moving out, he sent her a WhatsApp message, and she noticed in his profile picture that he was wearing the stolen watch. Despite promising to return it, he never did, leading her to file a police report.
This case underscores the severe consequences of violent crimes in Singapore, particularly those targeting vulnerable individuals.
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