SINGAPORE — Mr Kumarapeli Arachchige Amila Chinthana, 35, had just finished grocery shopping and was waiting at the traffic light along Buangkok Crescent when a man with a sword attacked him.

Despite his injuries on his left shoulder, elbow and knees, the owner of Kingsmen Movers helped subdue the armed man alongside other passers-by until the police arrived.

For his bravery and courage, the Singapore permanent resident from Sri Lanka was among six people awarded the Public Spiritedness Award by the Singapore Police Force on Tuesday (March 15). The presentation ceremony was held at the Ang Mo Kio Police Division.

The day before, the police arrested the 37-year-old man who was captured on video stopping traffic and injuring Mr Chinthana while armed with a sword.

He will be charged on Wednesday for the alleged offence of voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, and is still under investigation.

‘EVERYTHING HAPPENED SO QUICKLY’

Mr Chinthana, who was filming the armed man before he himself was assaulted, said: "Everything happened so quickly... I did not expect that he would attack me."

Despite the suspect charging at him, Mr Chinthana was not afraid and did not flee. He used his grocery bags to fend off the attacker and pinned down the man with the help of others around.

"I have a seven-month pregnant wife and three-year-old son... I was imagining if it happened to my family, I didn't think twice, all I cared about was people’s safety," Mr Chinthana said.

Mr Lim Jun Yi, 20, an electronic engineering student from Temasek Polytechnic, was waiting at the traffic light with his takeaway lunch when Mr Chinthana was attacked.

"I had two options. I could either run from it or I could step in and help out," Mr Lim said.

"If I put myself in his (Mr Chinthana) shoes, I definitely would want someone to help, so I knew I had to do something… the risk factor didn't come to mind."

Mr Lim added that although he applied some of his knowledge from his days in the National Police Cadet Corps, the times he had watched American police camera footage on YouTube as well as the adrenaline from the moment gave him added confidence to apprehend the man.

Mr Muhammad Rabbani, 28, was having lunch with his colleagues nearby when they witnessed the commotion.

As case managers with welfare home Angsana Home@Pelangi Village, they knew all too well that such behaviour, if not stopped, could injure more people. Angsana Home in Buangkok is a residential, rehabilitation and day-care home for seniors.

"When we saw (the armed man) attacking the cars, we stepped outside... because we were waiting to respond if he started attacking passers-by," Mr Rabbani said.

"In the initial stages (of pinning him down, the suspect) was very aggressive and struggled for a very long time," he recalled. 

Alongside Mr Chinthana and Mr Lim, he and his colleagues — Mr Lim Jiajing, 27, and Ms Kervyn Koh, 28 — and Mr Muhammad Naufal, who is an officer with the Singapore Civil Defence Force, helped subdue the attacker.

Mr Lim Jiajing, 27, a case manager and programme executive with Angsana Home, said: "It was about public safety and we were worried about everyone around... we wanted to prevent further injury.

‘I DIDN’T WANT HER TO PANIC’

After the attack, Mr Chinthana's only thought was on his pregnant wife, that he wanted her to know his injuries directly from him.

"I called her and asked her to come and find me as I was with the police. I didn't want her to panic because she is pregnant."

His wife was also present at the award presentation ceremony on Tuesday.

Mrs Norra Chinthana said that one particular WhatsApp message that caught her attention was from someone who said that his child was schooling nearby and was in McDonald’s fast-food restaurant at the time. "And he said thanks to my husband because he was there to cut off everything that happened."

Mr Chinthana did not expect an outpouring of responses from his family in Sri Lanka and complete strangers.

After video footage of the incident — where Mr Chinthana revealed his mobile number — went viral across social media platforms, Mr Chinthana received "500 calls and 267 messages", he said.

"Some people wanted to offer me money, to ask if I am okay and I am thankful to them," he said, adding that he has rejected such offers.

His friends and family from Sri Lanka also called him when footage of the incident made waves there. News media outlets from Sri Lanka have also tried to contact him, which came as a surprise.

As for Mr Lim, the polytechnic student, he said: "My parents were scared and anxious at first, but they are proud of me... but they questioned why I was standing at the traffic light for so long."

And for Mr Rabbani, the Angsana Home employee, the greatest reward he received from stepping up to help a man in need was a message from his niece who had seen the viral videos.

"She said I am a hero," he said proudly.