KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — Two suspects, believed to be foreigners, were killed in a shootout with police during an operation to rescue two kidnap victims at a house in Taman Amira, Telaga Bata, Alor Setar, Kedah, last night.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk M. Kumar said the incident occurred at about 8.40 pm when the suspects fired several shots at the Special Investigation Division (D9) team from the Bukit Aman CID.

“The raiding team returned fire in self-defence until the threat was neutralised. Both suspects were confirmed dead by medical personnel at about 9.30 pm and no identification documents were found on them,” he said in a statement today.

He said the two victims rescued were foreigners — a man in his 70s and a woman in her 30s — who were found blindfolded and handcuffed.

Kumar said police also found a Beretta semi-automatic pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition, a revolver containing four rounds of ammunition and a long machete near the two suspects.

Following the incident, he said police launched several raids and arrested six individuals, comprising a local man, four foreign men and a foreign woman, aged between their 20s and 40s, in Kedah, Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

“An application to remand all the suspects will be made today under Section 12 of the Kidnapping Act 1961, while the case is being investigated under Section 3(1) of the same Act for kidnapping for ransom,” he said.

Kumar said the case is still under investigation and advised the public not to speculate or make comments that could interfere with the investigation or distort the facts, causing unnecessary public concern.

“A press conference on this incident will be held on Aug 10 (Monday),” he added. — Bernama