INSTANCES where an innocent child's life is put in danger are shocking and tend to draw the public's attention, and this was claimed to have happened recently in Gurun, Kedah when a man was said to have tried to abduct a child to get money for food.
Did such an instance happen as claimed?
Verdict:
TRUE
Kuala Muda District Police Chief ACP Zaidy Che Hassan said in a statement that such an incident indeed happened in a restaurant near Gurun at about 7am on Sunday (Nov 26).
He said that the incident happened when the child's father had left her alone on a motorcycle parked on the side of the road while he went to pick up his roti canai order from the restaurant.
"According to the victim's father, his daughter was left sitting on the motorcycle while he walked to the restaurant about six metres away to get the roti canai," said ACP Zaidy.
He added that witnesses saw the 26-year-old Nepali suspect rushing towards the girl, grabbing her and then retreating a few steps while pointing a knife at her neck.
ACP Zaidy said the suspect spoke in an incomprehensible language believed to be Nepali as if asking for money from the victim's father for money to buy food.
"The victim's father, while trying to pacify his daughter, persuaded the suspect to hand over the girl.
"It took two to three minutes before passers-by managed to apprehend the suspect from behind and save the victim," he added.
ACP Zaidy said the suspect was arrested and a knife was seized from him, while the victim was referred to a hospital for examination and treatment.
Zaidy said a preliminary investigation found that the suspect entered the country a month ago to work at a factory in Sungai Lalang near here but ran off from his employer, believed to be due to work pressure.
"Checks also found that the suspect's employer had lodged a police report on Nov 8 against him for running away and that the action by the suspect was because he was stressed and starving as he had not eaten for several days," he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 363 of the Penal Code and Section 6 of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958
