KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — Police have ruled out racial and gang-related elements in an altercation involving a group of individuals outside a cafe in Desa Tun Razak, Sungai Besi, last night.

Cheras police chief ACP Mohd Rosdi Daud said preliminary investigations suggested that the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding over a business turf dispute, although investigations were ongoing to establish the actual cause.

“We urge the public not to speculate about the incident as investigations are still ongoing,” he told a press conference at the Cheras district police headquarters here today.

He said police had arrested nine people, including a woman, aged between 16 and 44, to assist in the investigation and seized several items believed to have been used in the incident.

Two of those arrested, aged 32 and 44, were identified as the main suspects.

“All nine were remanded for one to three days, while six had previous criminal and drug-related records,” he said.

Police are also tracking down about 15 others believed to have been involved in the incident.

The case is being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting with weapons.

Earlier, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus confirmed that nine people had been arrested by a team from the Sungai Besi Police Station’s Mobile Patrol Vehicle (MPV) unit and the Cheras district police headquarters’ Criminal Investigation Division.

The arrests were made near the scene after police received information about a fight involving a group of people at about 11pm. — Bernama