Depot riot: 88 escapees still at large, says Kedah police chief

BANDAR BAHARU: A total of 88 undocumented migrants who escaped from the temporary Immigration depot here are still at large as the manhunt to find the escapees enters its third day.

Kedah police chief Comm Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad said the police will continue the operation to find the escapees comprising 71 men, nine women and eight children.

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"We will continue efforts to find the remaining detainees in the surrounding areas," he said during a press conference at Nictron Durian Farm here on Friday (April 22).

Comm Wan Hassan said the manhunt was involved 287 officers and personnel from the Kedah, Penang and Perak police contingents.

He said beside the police contingents, the General Operations Force (GOF) has also been deployed to help in the operation.

"The manhunt will also involve air surveillance, canine police teams, roadblocks and assistance from other agencies as well," he said.

ALSO READ: Depot riot: Air surveillance used to step up search for remaining 111 Rohingya

By midnight on Thursday (April 21), a total of 448 detainees had been transferred to four separate Immigration depots - Langkap in Perak, Machap Umboo in Melaka, and Semenyih and Bukit Jalil in Selangor.

On Wednesday (April 20), a protest at around 5am at the Relau detention centre by Rohingya detainees quickly turned into a riot.

During the escape, six detainees, including two children, were killed on the southbound side of the North-South Expressway while trying to cross the highway near Jawi.

Comm Wan Hassan warned villagers not to harbour the escapees, saying that those who were found could be prosecuted under Section 56 of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 and Section 216 of the Penal Code.

ALSO READ: Depot riot: Escapees could give up soon due to exhaustion, hunger, say police (https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/04/22/depot-riot-escapees-could-give-up-soon-due-to-exhaustion-hunger-say-police)

"We believe the escapees are in hunger now, and if they come to ask for assistance, please alert the police who have been stationed in all areas in the vicinity," he said.