ALOR GAJAH: A jobless man has died after he was beaten, allegedly by a mob after he was said to have committed a lewd act in the parking lot of a supermarket in Jasin, says Melaka police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar.
He said in the incident at about 9pm, the 51-year-old victim died at the scene due to severe injuries. He had two previous crimes recorded under Section 377D of the Penal Code for committing gross indecency in a public place in 2003 and 2024.
"Based on early investigations, the victim is said to have committed an act of gross indecency at 7.26pm before he was chased and assaulted by several individuals.
"The victim tried to escape for about 200m, including a desperate leap into the river, before he was caught by the mob and beaten again," he said after officiating at the Melaka Schools Sports Council Athletics Championships at the Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) in Durian Tunggal here on Monday (July 28).
He said seven men aged between 20s to 50s, including a Pakistani national, were remanded for seven days in the investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
In a separate case, Dzulkhairi said a motorcyclist in his 30s was remanded for three days for beating a man in his 20s in a fight near Bulatan Kancil in the Stadthuys compound at Banda Hilir on Sunday (July 27).
He said the incident occurred when the suspect and 17 of his biker friends were fined by the Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) enforcement officers for violating the Vehicle Free Zone (ZBK) area.
He said MBMB enforcement officers had asked the group of motorcyclists to leave but they were ignored before they were issued summonses for ignoring council orders.
"The group led by the suspect then tore up the summonses and a confrontation broke out between them and another group of bikers.
"The victim, who was struck with a helmet and a wheel lock, was later rushed to the Melaka Hospital with minor injuries," he said.
Dzulkhairi said all 23 individuals involved were arrested between 9.30pm and 1am on Sunday but 22 of them were released on police bail while the suspect was remanded for three days.
The case is being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting and Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a public servant in the performance of his duties. – Bernama
