GEORGE TOWN, Dec 30 — A fruit stall worker suffered serious injuries after he was slashed by a colleague in a fight at the Carat Market in Lorong Kulit here, today.
North East District Police Chief ACP Che Zaimani Che Awang said the police received a report on the incident at 7am and upon arriving at the scene, found the 46-year-old victim, Chen Boon Huat, bleeding, while the 35-year-old suspect was holding a machete in his hand.
“Initial investigations revealed that the victim was working at the suspect’s mother’s booth and the latter (the suspect) who also worked there, suddenly came with a machete, and a quarrel ensued between them before the suspect attacked Chen.
“The victim who was arranging fruits at the stall, was attacked and dragged by the suspect, and the latter then held the victim’s head and hit him, slashing his neck in the process,” he said here today.
He said several traders who were at the scene tried to break up the fight but the suspect refused to let go of the victim, prompting them to call the police.
Che Zaimani said the policemen who went to the scene ordered the suspect to calm down and surrender himself, but he reacted by attacking the police instead, forcing the personnel to shoot his leg.
He said both the victim and the suspect were then sent to the Penang Hospital, and were reported to be in stable condition.
“The exact cause of the incident has yet to be determined, but we do not rule out the possibility that it is related to drugs. The victim and the suspect are also involved in drug abuse,” he said.
He said the suspect’s mother informed that her son often got aggressive after taking drugs, and at the time of the incident, she had not come to the store, and believed the suspect used his father’s machete kept at their home nearby the market.
Che Zaimani said the suspect, who had four criminal records, would be remanded to assist with investigations under Section 326 of the Penal Code for causing grievous hurt. — Bernama
