Attacked with padlocks, helmets thrown: Police arrest 10 over violent clash at KL café

 

An altercation at a café in Taman Beringin last night escalated into a violent clash involving dangerous weapons, leading to the arrest of 10 local men, police said. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — An altercation at a café in Taman Beringin last night led to the arrest of 10 local men who were later involved in a violent clash using dangerous weapons.

The incident, which was reported to the police just after midnight, turned a quiet evening into a site of aggression and injury.

According to Sentul District Police Chief Ahmad Sukarno Mohd Zahari, the trouble began at about 11.10pm while a 33-year-old catering worker was relaxing at the café with his friends.

The atmosphere became tense when a group of men, allegedly intoxicated, began acting aggressively and the situation quickly escalated into a physical assault; the complainant claimed the group struck them with motorcycle padlocks and hurled helmets in their direction.

As a result of the fray, the catering worker sustained injuries to the head.

The cause of the conflict appeared to stem from a protective instinct gone wrong, as preliminary investigations suggest the riot was sparked by a claim that a young boy — the nephew of one of the suspects — had been slapped by an unidentified man earlier that evening.

This accusation set off a chain reaction, drawing in seven to eight individuals from both sides into the violent confrontation.

Police have since rounded up the suspects, aged between 28 and 41, all of whom have prior records for criminal offences, drug involvement, or both.

The case is being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting with a weapon and, for now, the 10 men have been remanded for up to three days as authorities piece together the full story behind the late-night clash. — Bernama