BUKIT MERTAJAM, July 20 — A Bangladeshi man was found dead and covered in blood, believed to have fallen into a ditch, near the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) Bukit Tengah Depot, in Jalan Nagasari 24, here, yesterday.

The body of Mohammad Bappi, 39, was found with head injuries by members of the public who passed by the area around noon.

Seberang Perai Tengah district police chief, ACP Shafee Abd Samad said the initial investigation revealed that the incident happened when the victim was running away from a motorcyclist who tried to rob him and his friend, also a Bangladeshi, aged 32.

"The two men who lived in a workers’ hostel in Taman Nagasari, were walking to a bank to send money to their families in Bangladesh when the friend was hit by the motorcyclist in the robbery attempt.

"The victim ran away by jumping over the railway station’s fence, but it is believed that he accidently fell into the ditch and died due to severe head injuries,” he said in a statement, here, today.

Mohammad’s body was sent to Seberang Jaya Hospital while his friend who had head and hand injuries in the incident also received treatment there.

Police are conducting further investigation including acquiring surveillance videos around the incident location to detect the robber.

On another case, Shafee said the body of an old folks home resident was found floating in a river in Jalan Bukit Minyak, here, at 6pm yesterday.

He said the initial investigation found that the victim, Perng Ah Lam, 53, had gone out to take a walk near the river before he slipped and fell into it.

His body was sent to Bukit Mertajam Hospital. — Bernama