Indian national charged after knife attack linked to alleged illegal HDB subletting

A 21-year-old Indian national, Rahul Singh, was charged in a Singapore court on 24 June 2025 with voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon and with criminal intimidation.

The charges arose from a violent confrontation at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Ang Mo Kio, where Singh allegedly acted as an illegal sub-landlord.

According to Shin Min Daily News, Singh sublet a three-room flat at Block 513 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 to at least 16 migrant workers. HDB rules allow only six tenants in such a unit, with two bedrooms available for subletting.

Tenant Rajdeep, 22, said the overcrowding created difficult conditions. He and two others shared one bedroom, while Singh and other tenants occupied the second bedroom and the living room. He described common areas as “really dirty” and nights as noisy.

Rajdeep alleged that Singh profited from the arrangement, collecting an estimated S$6,000 per month in rent, while the official rental for the flat is about S$3,000.

Confrontation escalates

The situation escalated on the night of 23 June when Singh allegedly fetched a kitchen knife during an argument and swung it at one of the tenants.

Rajdeep said Singh’s first attempt missed, but a second swing struck Rajdeep’s hand as he intervened to protect his roommate. The slash required seven stitches between his thumb and index finger.

“He did not manage to slash anyone on his first try. When he swung the knife again, I blocked the blade with my hand to protect my roommate. When he saw my hand was injured, he was shocked,” Rajdeep recounted to Shin Min Daily News.

Emergency services were alerted at about 12:50 am on 23 June. Rajdeep was taken conscious to Sengkang General Hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and later discharged with two weeks’ medical leave.

Singh allegedly discarded the knife and fled before being arrested following a police tip-off. He is currently remanded and will return to court on 8 July.

Wider crackdown on illegal subletting

The case highlights ongoing concerns about overcrowding and unauthorised subletting in HDB flats.

In 2019, a four-room unit was found to house 24 tenants, with multiple bunk beds and partitions added without approval. In 2024, another property agent discovered 12 occupants crammed into a unit.

Authorities have consistently warned against illegal short-term and overcrowded rentals. Since 2019, 64 people have been fined for unlawful private home rentals of less than three months, 15 prosecuted, and seven penalised for unauthorised HDB subletting.

On 3 July 2024, the Housing Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority reaffirmed their commitment to strict enforcement, warning that no leniency would be extended to offenders.

In one case in September 2021, Indian national Damandeep Singh was jailed 25 days for subletting a unit to 12 to 13 tenants. He had evaded inspections after receiving illegal tip-offs from an HDB enforcement officer.

Legal proceedings ahead

Rahul Singh’s case now combines allegations of violent assault with breaches of housing regulations, drawing renewed attention to the risks of overcrowding and unauthorised rentals.

He faces significant penalties if convicted of voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon, an offence carrying up to seven years’ imprisonment, a fine, caning, or a combination of these.