NParks sued over alleged negligence in wild boar attack, Botanic Gardens falls
One lawsuit stems from a 2023 wild boar attack in Bukit Panjang that drew widespread public attention.
A wild boar seen at Bukit Panjang. (Photo: CNA/Javier Lim)
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SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks) is facing two negligence lawsuits, including one by a woman who says she was attacked by a wild boar at a Bukit Panjang bus stop in 2023 in an incident that drew widespread public attention.
Ms Durga Devi Subramaniam filed a lawsuit against NParks on Apr 29, 2026, seeking damages including S$39,827.10 (US$31,000) for medical expenses, transport costs and loss of earnings, among other claims, following the boar attack on May 1, 2023.
Separately, two people are suing NParks after they allegedly tripped and fell over a temporary cable cover at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Both cases are pending before the State Courts.
CLAIMANT DESCRIBES INCIDENT
Ms Durga’s case was one of two high-profile wild boar attacks reported in the area in 2023, which led to the authorities trapping and removing wild boars there.
In court documents obtained by CNA, Ms Durga said she was attacked at about 11.50pm at a bus stop along Bangkit Road on May 1, 2023, and was conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital by ambulance. The attack left her with injuries that required several surgical procedures, according to her statement of claim.
She alleged that she was bitten and “caught and tossed three times” by the wild boar, suffering injuries to her right calf, pointer finger, right middle finger, right palm and buttocks.
According to her statement of claim, Ms Durga underwent surgery on her right hand, right leg and a buttock wound, as well as microsurgical repair of ulnar nerve branches.
A medical report filed in court states that she suffered permanent disability to her right hand as a result of the nerve injury.
She then underwent physiotherapy and follow-up treatment.
Ms Durga argued that the wild boar attack was caused by negligence and/or breach of duty of care by NParks.
Among other things, she alleges that NParks was negligent in managing the presence of wild boars near roads and residential areas, failing to properly manage the animals to prevent human injury and neglecting the construction or upkeep of fences. She also alleged that NParks failed to exercise reasonable care in protecting people and managing human-wild boar interactions.
A police report was lodged a day after the alleged attack on Ms Durga’s behalf.
Ms Durga is seeking general damages to be assessed by the court, including for pain and suffering, as well as special damages including S$7,407.32 for medical bills and transport, and S$32,027.38 for pre-trial loss of earnings.
She is also seeking amounts to be assessed for loss of earning capacity, loss of future earnings arising from an alleged permanent disability, and future medical expenses. She is seeking interest and legal costs as well.
NPARKS DENIES NEGLIGENCE
NParks is contesting the claim. It denied the allegations of negligence and said it had exercised “all reasonable efforts” to manage Singapore’s wild boar population and the risks to public health and safety.
The agency pointed to its wildlife management programme, which included population monitoring, public education, enforcement against the illegal feeding of wildlife, and removal of wild boars where necessary.
It also said it carried out habitat modification measures, including removing food sources that attract and sustain wild boar populations.
NParks said the incident arose from circumstances beyond its control and that it had taken all reasonable measures expected of a public authority responsible for wildlife management.
According to its defence, there was a traffic accident report of a wild boar struck by a vehicle along the same stretch of road at about 11.45pm on May 1, 2023 – about five minutes before the alleged attack on Ms Durga.
NParks said the wild boar was later located and found to have sustained significant injuries.
It said the animal’s injuries were sustained before it encountered Ms Durga and were the result of circumstances beyond NParks’ control.
NParks also alleged, in the alternative, that Ms Durga’s own negligence contributed to the incident, including by failing to keep a proper lookout, take reasonable care for her own safety, keep a safe distance from the wild boar and pay attention at all times.
ACCIDENT AT BOTANIC GARDENS
In a separate case, Mr Lim Fon Kui and Ms Wong Sung Mui are suing NParks over an incident at the Singapore Botanic Gardens on Jul 27, 2025. The statement of claim, filed on Apr 1 this year, did not state their ages.
The pair said they were walking beside Swan Lake towards the car park at Tanglin Gate at about noon when they tripped over a temporary cable cover installed for cables running across a pathway for a festival.
They said they suffered injuries in their falls and were taken by ambulance to National University Hospital.
They allege that NParks created a tripping hazard by laying electrical cables in a cover across a walkway used by members of the public.
The pair also allege that the agency failed to ensure the cable cover did not protrude from the path, provide adequate warning signs and reroute the cables so they did not encroach on the walking path.
Medical records filed with the claim state that Mr Lim was diagnosed with bruises on his right shoulder and right knee.
A separate medical report states that Ms Wong fractured her right knee and sustained abrasions to her right wrist.
The pair are seeking general and special damages, including medical expenses totalling more than S$11,000 for both, claims for Ms Wong’s damaged spectacles, and transport expenses to and from hospitals.
They are also seeking interest and costs.
CABLE COVER INSTALLED BY SUBCONTRACTOR
NParks denied the allegations of negligence. The agency said the cable cover was installed by a subcontractor of Pico Art International, an independent contractor engaged in connection with the festival, rather than by NParks or its employees.
The agency said the cover was a standard design commonly used to safely route electrical cables across pedestrian areas.
The cover had gently sloping edges and a bright yellow strip to improve its visibility, and was installed to reduce the risk of tripping over exposed electrical cables, NParks said.
NParks said the incident allegedly occurred at about noon, in daylight conditions where the cable cover was clearly visible.
NParks said Pico had been engaged through a government tender process and had a long track record of handling large-scale public events.
It said it was entitled to rely on Pico to install and manage the temporary event infrastructure in a safe and proper manner.
NParks denied that it was vicariously liable for any act or omission by the contractor.
In the alternative, NParks argued that the two claimants had caused or contributed to the accident through their own negligence.
It alleged that the two had failed to maintain proper foothold, causing them to fall and be injured.
It further argued that the two failed to keep a proper lookout, take reasonable care for their own safety, “observe an open and obvious feature” of the pathway and avoid a “visible feature despite clear daylight conditions”.
Both cases are due for mention on Aug 21.
Source: CNA/wt(bg/sz)
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