SINGAPORE - A disturbing incident unfolded at the City Hall MRT station on New Year's Eve, as an 88-year-old man allegedly punched a 68-year-old woman in the head, prompting an ongoing police investigation.

According to reports, Ms. Saniah Ma'arop was making her way to the MRT platform around 4:30 PM when she found herself in the company of an elderly man carrying several bags in the lift. Eyewitness accounts from her son, Mr. Eddie Khairul, reveal that a bag belonging to the man inadvertently brushed against Ms. Saniah's leg.

In a shocking turn of events, without any prior indication, the elderly man reportedly turned and struck Ms. Saniah in the head. Reacting instinctively, she kicked the man's bag just as the lift doors swung open, leading to a brief confrontation. The man, seemingly unfazed, departed the scene, but not before Ms. Saniah managed to take a photograph of him as he boarded the train.

Feeling disoriented and dizzy after the attack, Ms. Saniah sought help from SMRT staff at the passenger service center. Emergency services received a call for assistance at around 5:30 PM, leading to police involvement and an investigation into the matter.

Details revealed that Ms. Saniah was returning home from her job as a cleaner at the Supreme Court when the incident occurred. After the attack, she was conscious but was taken to Raffles Hospital, where she underwent an MRI scan and stayed for two nights for observation.

While her injuries were not deemed serious, the baffling nature of the attack has left her family seeking answers. Mr. Khairul expressed his confusion over the man's motives, wishing to understand why such an unprovoked act occurred. He speculated that his mother’s Parkinson’s disease, which has caused her to have involuntary movements since he was six, may have been misinterpreted by the man.

In a heartfelt plea on Facebook, Mr. Khairul called for anyone who may have witnessed the attack or have any information about the elderly man to come forward. The family is grappling with the financial aftermath of the incident, with hospital bills totaling over $4,000, from which they ultimately paid just $180 after government subsidies.

As investigations continue, the authorities have confirmed that the elderly man is currently helping them with inquiries related to the alleged assault. Meanwhile, the community is left in shock, reflecting on the implications of such violence in a place typically viewed as safe.

Stay tuned for updates as we follow this developing story that has sent ripples of concern through the Singaporean public. Why did this happen, and what could have prompted such an extreme reaction? The hunt for answers is on!