A woman taking a rest at Kranji MRT station late at night was allegedly molested by a drunk migrant worker who touched her chest while she was asleep. The man tried to run away but was eventually caught and subdued by MRT staff, before police arrived to arrest him.
The incident happened around 11pm on Sunday (Sept 7), according to a reader of Shin Min Daily News who witnessed the commotion.
The witness said he was resting with several others at the open space near the station when they suddenly heard a commotion. He then saw a woman looking flustered and pacing around as if searching for someone.
“She had laid out a mat to nap. Later I heard she was molested in her sleep by a drunk migrant worker who touched her chest. She woke up in shock and went around looking for him.”
According to him, the woman later sought help from station staff. They managed to find the man and brought him to the passenger service centre for questioning.
“I was observing from a distance. When the staff told the man they would call the police, he bolted. The woman and staff chased after him, and he fell on his own before being caught.”
The man was also said to have hidden in the toilet at one point, allegedly attempting to change his clothes to avoid detection.
Police officers arrived shortly after and stayed until about 1am to 2am to investigate.
When reporters visited the station the next day (Sept 8), the wide space in front of the gantry was empty, with no one seen resting or sleeping there. The area is also heavily monitored — about 10 surveillance cameras are installed just at the gantry area alone.
According to sources, some people, usually Malaysians, sometimes rest at the station late at night to avoid Causeway crowds and wait for the first train to work. Others said migrant workers from nearby dormitories also gather in the area on weekends to drink and chat.
In a statement on Monday night, police confirmed that MRT staff had detained the suspect when officers arrived. A 38-year-old woman had reported being molested and sought help from the staff.
