Christmas murders in Penang

Three bodies, believed to be those of foreigners, are found in different parts of the state.

GEORGE TOWN: Three homicide cases were reported in Penang on Christmas Day.

In the first case, the decomposing body of a man with a severed right hand was found in Bukit Mertajam at 2pm. A few hours later, another body was found in Machang Bubok, some 3km from where the first body was found.

Both dead men are believed to be foreigners.

The deputy chief of the Penang Criminal Investigation Department, ACP P R Gunarajan, said the state of decomposition suggested that the first victim, in his 30s, was murdered three or four days ago.

He said he may have been killed elsewhere and his body taken to the spot by two or three persons.

No identification documents were found on the victim, who was was wearing a T-shirt, jeans and red canvas shoes.

Gunarajan said the second body had no injury marks, suggesting that the two cases were not linked.

In the third incident, a Myanmar national died from severe head injuries after he was allegedly assaulted by a group of men, believed to be foreign nationals.

The victim, identified as Harun Nurulsallam, 40, died instantly. He was a United Nations High Commission for Refugees cardholder.

The incident happened near a construction site in Bayan Lepas at about 7.30pm.

Police have yet to arrest any suspect.

The killing of foreigners, especially Myanmar nationals, have lately been on the rise in Penang. Eighteen Myanmar nationals have allegedly been murdered, some in a gruesome manner, in the past month.

Police have hauled up 15 Myanmar men for interrogation in these cases.

Police have also discovered what has been described as a “slaughter house” in Kampung Pisang, Machang Bubuk, where murder victims were believed to have been dismembered.

Police are still on a hunt for certain Myanmar nationals suspected to have masterminded the killings.