SHAH ALAM: Police are looking into the possibility that a community or online group influenced a 15-year-old girl accused of stabbing a fellow student at a secondary school in Banting earlier this month.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Shazeli Kahar said the investigation is looking into whether discussions on social media or messaging platforms encouraged the suspect's actions.
After the suspect was charged, police detained a 14-year-old girl to assist in the investigation but released her after finding she had no direct involvement in the incident.
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"We are investigating if any communities or groups could have contributed to the suspect acting in such a manner.
"The girl we detained was not a facilitator. She could have been among friends communicating in a WhatsApp group, exchanging opinions or suggestions that may have influenced the suspect," he told a press conference at Selangor police headquarters on Tuesday (July 21).
It is understood that the 14-year-old is from a different school than the victim, although police declined to disclose further details because she is a minor.
Comm Shazeli also said police are investigating how photographs of handwritten notes believed to be linked to the case were circulated on social media.
"The notes are part of the case exhibits. Since they have appeared on social media, we are conducting an investigation into how they were leaked," he said.
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He added that the victim's condition has improved significantly and she was discharged from Hospital Banting on July 13 after undergoing treatment and recovery.
In the July 6 incident, a 15-year-old Form Three student sustained multiple stab wounds after she was allegedly attacked by another 15-year-old girl at about 9.30am in the school compound.
The victim was rushed to Hospital Banting for treatment.
Police said the suspect allegedly entered the school canteen area via a route from the surau before carrying out the attack.
The suspect, who had reportedly not attended school for several months and was undergoing medical treatment, was arrested and initially remanded for four days to facilitate investigations under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder.
On July 10, the Telok Datok Magistrate's Court ordered the teenager to undergo psychiatric evaluation at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Tanjung Rambutan, Perak.
