Sprained neck, swollen eye for 60-year-old security supervisor punched in face at Roxy Square

SINGAPORE - Police are investigating an incident in which a man was caught on camera punching a 60-year-old security supervisor at Roxy Square on Thursday (April 4).

The police said that a 47-year-old man is assisting with investigations.

The incident, which the police have classified as a case of voluntarily causing hurt, left the victim, Mr Andrew Lim, with a swollen eye, a sprained neck and broken glasses.

Mr Lim's employer, security firm Regal Security, is planning to take legal action against the man who hit the security supervisor.

Speaking to The Straits Times on Friday, Mr Lim said that at around 12.15am on the day of the incident, the man approached a security guard complaining that he was trying to leave the building but could not find an exit.

The guard tried to explain that the main exit of the building was locked as it was late, but the man refused to listen and asked to speak to the supervisor, Mr Lim.

Mr Lim said he tried to tell the man that there were several other exits from the building, but the man ignored him.

He added that the man began behaving in a threatening manner, gesturing with his hands and standing very close to him.

Mr Lim asked: "Are you trying to hit me?"

According to Mr Lim, the man replied: "Yes, maybe later."

At this point, Mr Lim asked the guard to take a video of the incident, in case anything should happen.

The video, which was widely circulated on social media on Friday, opens with the man telling Mr Lim to "shut the f*** up", while filming the incident with his phone.

"Can we talk nicely?" asks Mr Lim.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqgFu1mJKFY[/embed]

He then offers to show the man the exit, but the latter refuses, saying he has already seen it.

Mr Lim then walks forward, saying he will show the man the exit, but is obstructed by the latter's arm.

"You walked into my arm," the man says, before pointing and laughing at the guard who is filming.

As Mr Lim tries to explain to the man the location of the exits again, the man says: "I'm going to report you to the Government."

After laughing at Mr Lim several more times, the man eventually follows him to the exit.

However, as Mr Lim walks ahead of him, the man appears to stick out his leg, tripping Mr Lim.

Mr Lim tells the man: "Hey, enough." But the latter suddenly punches him, knocking him to the ground.

Recounting the incident, Mr Lim said that after he fell to the ground, the man tried to run away but the guard who was filming moved to block him.

According to Mr Lim, the man then tried to hit his colleague but missed. He then fled as the guard called the police.

Calling the man's actions "very uncalled for", Mr Lim said: "I've met drunkards and all, but they were not abusive, not aggressive... I thought he might push me, but not like this."

Mr Lim was later given two days' medical leave and sent for an X-ray examination. Afterwards, he was told that he had to go for a CT scan as an abnormality was detected during the X-ray exam.

He said that as of Friday afternoon he was still taking painkillers to cope with the pain from his injuries.

Regal Security general manager K. Bhaskaran told ST that the man returned to the mall to surrender himself late on Friday afternoon after footage of the incident went viral.

Mr Bhaskaran said the man also wanted to apologise for the incident.

The general manager said that he has hired a lawyer for Mr Lim and that the firm intends to take legal action.

Mr Lim said Regal Security will be covering his medical and legal costs.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.