SHE heard a group of youths arguing, but didn't pay much attention to them.

But when the woman, who wanted to be known only as Madam Hu, eventually turned to look, she was shocked.

What she thought was a harmless argument had escalated into a brutal attack as the group of youths surrounded the man they were quarrelling with.

One of the attackers had whipped out a 20cm-long parang and slashed the victim's head and left arm, said Madam Hu.

The attack happened outside a fast-food restaurant at Blk 632 Bedok Reservoir Road at 7.40pm on Sunday, reported Shin Min Daily News.

The man, in his 20s, suffered injuries on the back of his head and arm, and was rushed to the Changi General Hospital.

He is believed to be a delivery worker for the restaurant.

Madam Hu, 50, told Shin Min that the youths fled across the road and disappeared after seeing the man bleeding.

BLOOD

She said: 'The man was slashed on the back of his head and on his left arm.

'Blood from his wounds stained a letter box nearby and also dripped all over the ground.

'He ran about 15m to the entrance of the fast-food restaurant and sat on the ground, moaning in pain.'

Several staff members from the restaurant rushed to the man's aid, and tried to stop his bleeding.
Click to see larger image

An ambulance soon arrived, and sent the man to hospital.

A group of policemen also arrived at the scene.

Several plainclothes police officers were seen dusting for fingerprints at an overhead bridge nearby, reported Shin Min.

The manager of the restaurant declined to comment on the incident as the delivery worker is employed by another logistics company.

A police spokesman told The New Paper that two teens were arrested within four hours later that night.

This article was first published in The New Paper on May 20, 2008.