Depot riot: Rough, hilly terrain a challenge in hunt for escapees

Nearby villages also joined in the search for the escaped detainees in the challenging terrain. - Photo: Bernama

BANDAR BAHARU: Rough terrain ranging some 170 square kilometres in Bandar Baharu and hilly areas are the challenges faced by the authorities in tracking down the remaining Rohingya detainees who escaped from the Sungai Bakap Immigration Depot on Wednesday (April 20) morning.

Bandar Baharu OCPD Deputy Supt Mohd Akmal Hizam Abd Khupur said those still on the run were probably hiding in oil palm plantations and orchards.

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"Bandar Baharu district has hilly areas and oil palm plantations and orchards. So, the probability that these detainees are hiding (in these places) is high,” he told Bernama when met at the district police headquarters Friday (April 22).

A Bernama reporter and photographer had the opportunity to follow the search operation with the police on the first night of the incident at the plantations in Sungai Rambai and saw the difficulties faced by the authorities.

The authorities are also facing difficulties with dark conditions and rough terrain, besides at risk of encountering venomous animals such as snakes and scorpions.

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In the manhunt, two detainees were arrested after they were found hiding in a farm.

DSP Akmal Hizam said about 30 personnel, including an officer from the General Operations Force (GOF), have been mobilised to track down the remaining fugitives under Op Kesan.

"We need assistance from the GOF as they have the expertise to detect detainees in such areas. The teams will conduct searches on the roadsides and we believe that with the help of the GOF, we can arrest all the escapees,” he added.

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Meanwhile, Kedah CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk G. Suresh Kumar said the integrated search operation to detect the Rohingyans could be carried out more effectively.

In the 4.30 am incident on Wednesday, 528 Rohingya detainees escaped from the depot following a riot.

Six of them died after being hit by vehicles on the North-South Expressway. As of 6pm, 88 detainees were still on the run. - Bernama