GERIK: A police corporal was injured after a man suddenly attacked him and another colleague with an axe at a palm oil plantation here in Felda Bersia yesterday.
In the incident that took place just before noon, the police corporal sustained injuries to his shoulder and swelling to his head after he was hit by the axe wielded by the suspect during an intense struggle as the policemen tried to apprehend the 31-year-old suspect.
During the incident, the policemen involved were taking part in Op Tapis, a preventive operation against drug addiction and distribution.
Gerik district police chief Superintendent Zulkifli Mahmood said the incident happened when the police corporal together with his colleague, a lance corporal, both of whom from the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department of the Gerik district police headquarters (IPD) carried out the operation at around 11.30am.
He said that upon arriving at the location, they encoutnered the suspect who was riding a Honda EX5 motorcycle.
"The suspect stopped his motorcycle as he held up a machete and an axe in his hands.
"The suspect got off his motorcycle and threw the machete down to the ground before he lunged towards the two policemen to attack them with an axe.
"The two policeman involved tried to apprehend the suspect. As he swung the axe, he managed to hit one of the two policeman," he said in a statement last night.
According to him, the situation left the Corporal with no choice but to fire a shot to defend himself from being assaulted by the suspect.
He said that the suspect was stubborn and refused to cooperate and tried to escape where a second struggle took place.
After being arrested, a body search was carried out on the suspect which yielded a clear packet containing dried organic substance suspected of being ganja, apart from two straws believed to contain the drug methamphetamine in the suspect's trouser pocket.
"The suspect who sustained injuries to his leg was then brought to the Bersia Health Clinic by police before being referred to the Gerik District Hospital and then Taiping Hospital for treatment.
"The injured police corporal also received medical attention at the Bersia Health Clinic while the another policeman thankfully did not sustain any injury," he said.
Zulkifli said that the case has been classified as an attempt to murder police personnel which will be investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code, Section 39 of the Arms Act 1960 and Section 12(2)/6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1953.