Penang man succumbs to injuries from Molotov cocktail

GEORGE TOWN: A man succumbed to his injuries after suffering burns from a Molotov cocktail which was hurled into his house in Taman Pinggiran Alma, Bukit Mertajam.

P. Vijayan (pic), 56, died at the Bukit Mertajam Hospital at 2.40am yesterday, a week after the explosion at about 10pm on June 2.

A post-mortem by Penang Hospital’s senior consultant forensic pathologist Datuk Dr Bhupinder Singh showed he had second degree burns.

Vijayan’s wife P. Amutha, who was also inside the house then, suffered burns on her hands and face.

Police have reclassified the case as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code. It was earlier viewed as voluntarily causing grievous hurt under Section 326.

Penang CID chief Senior Asst Comm Mazlan Kesah said two men, aged 18 and 31, were arrested in connection with the incident, adding that they had been remanded until June 14 to facilitate investigations.

“Both of them have criminal records for burglary and drug-related offences. Revenge could be the motive as they were apparently upset with one of the couple’s children,” he said.

Amutha had said that two men wearing crash helmets stormed into their house before throwing a bottle that exploded in the living room.

“She managed to telephone one of her children who sent them to Bukit Mertajam Hospital,” said SAC Mazlan.

He said that according to eyewitnesses, the two men had climbed over the fence of the house and a loud explosion was heard shortly after and they were spotted fleeing on a motorcycle.

“A check at the scene found a shattered beer bottle. There was also a strong smell of kerosene and burn marks on the wall and furniture,” he said.