TEMERLOH: A FATHER of four was killed while his four friends were injured when they were set upon by 30 armed men in a coffee shop near the Bukit Bendera Sports and Recreation Association office in Taman Bukit Bendera, Mentakab, at 3.30am yesterday.
Lorry driver P. Arasu, 44, who suffered slash wounds to his head, died at the scene.
His friends, aged between 30 and 50, were warded at Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital here.
The incident occurred when the men approached the victims and an argument ensued.
Things got out of control when the suspects brandished machetes, swords and iron rods, and attacked the five victims, who attempted in vain to flee the scene.
The suspects fled the scene when the victims collapsed by the road near the association office.
Pahang Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Mohd Zakaria Ahmad said residents heard the victims shouting for help and alerted the police.
He said initial investigations revealed that there was bad blood between the two groups and that police did not rule out the possibility of a revenge attack.
“We are investigating if the victims and suspects were triad members. Checks reveal that they are locals in the area. We have picked up nine suspects to facilitate investigations and have launched a hunt for others.”