MELAKA: Two Bangladeshi construction workers were detained by Melaka police over the alleged abduction and confinement of a 21-year-old disabled woman at an apartment in Taman Tasik Utama, Ayer Keroh here.
Melaka Tengah OCPD Asst Comm Christopher Patit said the victim, who is a slow learner, was found with her hands and legs bound with wires inside a room at the apartment by her mother on Oct 1.
"The victim's mother and another neighbour went to search for the former when she failed to return home on that day (Oct 1) after going out jogging at 7pm.
"The victim's family lives at the same apartment where the foreign workers were housed," he said on Thursday (Oct 3).
ACP Christopher said the victim was also bludgeoned with a hammer by the suspects, who are aged 36 and 20, respectively.
"Luckily, the victim only suffered a minor injury on her head," he said.
ACP Christopher said police have confiscated the hammer and wires as part of the evidence.
The two suspects, he said, were arrested by a team of policemen at a roadside in Batu Berendam on Wednesday (Oct 2) for investigation under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt, and Section 342 of the Penal Code for kidnapping.
This was the second time crimes involving foreign workers were reported at the same apartment.
In Oct 2022, a 51-year-old local died and his 19-year-old son sustained injuries when was beaten up by a group of intoxicated foreigners.
The victims were mercilessly attacked when they went up to the unit above their home to tell the foreigners not to make loud noises.
The incident caused uproar among many non-governmental organisations (NGOs), who wanted the state government to segregate the foreign workers from sharing the units at the apartment with locals.
The NGOs also called upon the relevant authorities to probe the incident and ensure the safety of the local community.
