IPOH, April 11 — A hardcore criminal escaped a police team during a chase in Kuala Kangsar early yesterday morning but was shot dead by another police team in Sungai Siput.

K. Mehavanan, 32, who was wanted for several drug-related cases and murder, was shot dead at 5am at an overhead road in Salak, about 5km from Sungai Siput.

The suspect was earlier spotted in Kuala Kangsar, about 25km north of Sungai Siput, by a team from the Kuala Kangsar police district CID unit.

They gave chase but he escaped using the old Kuala Kangsar-Ipoh trunk road driving south towards Sungai Siput.

Police then sent out an alert.

Another police team from the Perak CID D9 Unit (special investigation), which was carrying out Ops Cantas Khas in Sungai Siput, responded and headed north towards Kuala Kangsar.

They saw Mehavanan in a Proton Waja in Salak and gave chase.

After about five minutes, the suspect's car skidded and hit a concrete barrier.

Perak CID chief Datuk Dzuraidi Ibrahim said the suspect got out of his car and began shooting at the police.

“My men returned fire and he died from his wounds.

“The man from Ipoh was wanted in connection with a murder case in Simpang Pulai about two years ago.

“The victim in that case was slashed to death,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.

Dzuraidi said police found a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which they believe was bought from a neighbouring country.

The pistol had three bullets while eight live bullets were found in a shoulder bag, which also contained small packets of what is believed to be drugs.

Dzuraidi said the suspect was also linked to several drug-related cases and was a member of Gang 08.

He added that the car driven by Mehavanan was reported stolen two years ago.