He had just exited a supermarket when he heard a woman shouting for help.
Mr Amirul Islam, 26, witnessed a man fleeing the scene at Jurong West Street 93.
Fearing that the woman might have been robbed, Mr Amirul went up to her to find out what had happened.
The 42-year-old woman said she had been molested and asked if he could help catch the man.
Mr Amirul, a welder from Bangladesh, told The New Paper over the phone: “I thought, ‘I must catch him.'”
He and off-duty police officer Soh Beng Kuan chased the man for a short distance before nabbing him near a playground.
Police arrived soon after and arrested the 25-year-old man.
‘Why is this man running?’
The incident happened at about 11.15pm on Saturday (June 6).
Mr Amirul said he had just left Prime Supermarket and was heading back to Blue Stars Dormitory at Kian Teck Lane when he saw a man and a woman.
Mr Amirul Islam (above).
“The woman shouted, ‘Help! Help!'” said Mr Amirul.
“I asked her, “Sister, what’s happening? Why is this man running? Did he steal your hand phone or bag?”
Mr Amirul said the woman told him that the man had touched her body and asked if he could help catch the person.
‘Forgive me, I go home’
After he was caught, the suspect pleaded with Mr Amirul and the woman for forgiveness.
Mr Amirul recalled: “He said, ‘Sorry, sorry. My fault… Forgive me, I go home.'”
The man claimed he had lost control of himself after drinking too much, said Mr Amirul.
Police said in a statement on Monday (June 8) that investigations against the suspect are ongoing.
The offence of Outrage of Modesty carries a jail term of up to two years or a fine. Those found guilty are also liable to caning.
Source: www.tnp.sg
