Man Arrested for Hurling Soju Bottle at SMRT Bus Along Orchard Road
A 38-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly throwing a glass Soju bottle at a moving SMRT double-decker bus along Orchard Road, injuring a 57-year-old female passenger and shattering one of the bus’s windows. The incident took place on the evening of 5 July and drew immediate police attention.
According to the Singapore Police Force, officers received a report around 6.50pm on that Saturday evening. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had allegedly thrown the glass bottle, believed to be from the Jinro Soju brand, from a pedestrian walkway directly at the bus while it was in motion.
As a result, the window on the upper deck of the bus shattered, causing injury to a female passenger onboard. She was later conveyed conscious to Raffles Hospital for treatment. The Singapore Civil Defence Force also responded to the scene.
Arrest Made After Follow-Up Investigations
Following intensive ground enquiries, officers from Tanglin Police Division managed to establish the identity of the suspect and arrested him on 8 July. A glass bottle was recovered and seized as part of the evidence.
An 18-year-old teenager who was accompanying the man at the time is also assisting police with ongoing investigations, though no charges have been filed against him at this time.
The man will be charged in court on 9 July for committing a rash act that caused hurt—an offence that carries a jail term of up to one year, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both, under Singapore law.
SMRT Responds, Passengers Transferred to Another Bus
Deputy Managing Director of SMRT Buses, Vincent Gay, confirmed that the affected vehicle was operating on Service 190 when it was struck by the bottle. The bus captain stopped the bus immediately following the incident to ensure the safety of all passengers.
All passengers were safely transferred to another bus to continue their journey, SMRT added in a media statement. Images of the shattered window and the scene were later uploaded to social media platform Xiaohongshu by an eyewitness, garnering widespread attention online.
Investigations are still ongoing as authorities look into the motive behind the act. The case has raised public concerns over safety in high-traffic areas like Orchard Road, especially with objects being thrown at moving vehicles—a dangerous act that could easily escalate into a fatal accident.