NIBONG TEBAL: "The bodies were thrown all over the highway. The bodies of the four adults were by the side of the highway while the children were on the road."
"Indeed, it was a sad scene. Innocent lives were lost just like that."
This was the account of one of the villagers of Kampung Sungai Kechil, who witnessed the accident which killed six Rohingyas in their attempt to escape from the temporary Immigration Detention Depot located at a former National Service Camp at Jalan Besar Relau in Bandar Baharu, Kedah near here early today.
The six were killed while attempting to cross the North South Expressway (NSE) about 6.50am today.
The villager, known only as Atan, 36, said he saw the accident when he sent his children to school this morning.
He said one of the villagers then contacted the police.
About 4.30am today, 528 illegal immigrants comprised mostly Rohingya fled the temporary Immigration Detention Depot located at a former National Service Camp.
Following their escape, villagers nearby managed to apprehend 88 of them before surrendering them to the Immigration authorities.
Subsequently, police rearrested some 229 illegal immigrants, at Km168 of the NSE here.
In their haste to escape, six people — two men, two women, a boy and a girl — were killed while crossing the highway.
Video footages of the illegal immigrants escaping and the accident have since found their way on social media.
Atan also expressed Kampung Sungai Kechil villagers' fear especially in regards to their safety upon learning the news that more than 500 illegal immigrants had fled from the detention centre.
The distance between the detention centre and the village is about 5km.
Atan said some of the illegal immigrants who fled from the detention centre had ran into the village while making their way to the NSE nearby.
"They (the illegal immigrants) even asked some of the villagers for water as their were very thirsty.
"I don't think those who managed to escape can go very far and they may be lurking nearby the village.
"I hope they can be detained quickly so that we can all have a peace of mind," he told the New Straits Times when met near Kampung Sungai Kechil here.
Police are now on the manhunt for the remaining 205 illegal immigrants who managed to escape.
Police roadblocks have been mounted in several locations while police patrol vehicles could be seen scouring the oil palm plantation near the highway in search of the escapees.