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POLICE are investigating the alleged assault of a 73-year-old man who was reportedly thrown to the ground after he patted a young girl on the head at a food court.
The incident, which took place on Saturday, was captured on security camera footage that subsequently went viral on social media, prompting widespread debate over the younger man's reaction.
In a statement on Sunday night, Singapore police said they had identified a 40-year-old man believed to be involved in the incident.
Police urged members of the public "not to speculate on the incident or its circumstances" and to allow officers to "conduct investigations and establish the facts of the case".
Footage of the incident shows the elderly man walking past a table at the food court in a shopping centre before patting the young girl on the head.
A woman seated at the table, believed to be the girl's mother, immediately stopped him. A second man, believed to be the girl's father, then returned to the table and confronted the elderly man.
Following what appeared to be a heated exchange, the younger man was seen grabbing the elderly man's arm and throwing him to the ground.
The footage quickly spread online, with many people condemning the physical confrontation. While some argued that the elderly man should not have touched the child without her parents' consent, others said the physical response appeared disproportionate to the gesture.
The video was posted on the social media pages of Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle, a stall operating at the food court. The post was written by a man who identified himself as the elderly man's son and appealed to the public for help identifying the alleged assailant.
The post said his father, who is in his 70s and has previous leg and hip injuries, initially did not want to pursue the matter.
"Afterwards, the man sat down with my father, apologised and offered him a drink," the post said.
"While we appreciate that he eventually apologised, my father is now suffering from severe back pain following the incident. A drink and an apology cannot simply take away the physical pain or injuries."
Speaking to local media outlet Channel NewsAsia, the elderly man said he had patted the girl's head because he thought she "was very adorable".
"Old people like to pat young children's heads," he said.
He said the pain began several hours after the fall and that he had been taking Panadol to manage it.
In a subsequent social media post, the elderly man's son thanked police for responding quickly and said the family "sincerely hope that justice will be served for my father".
Police investigations are ongoing. - August 17, 2026
