JAWI – Six of 528 escaped immigration detainees died in a road accident while fleeing the authorities after their escape from the temporary detention depot in Sg Bakap here.
Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the six died while trying to cross the North-South Expressway (PLUS) KM165 southbound highway.
“In an attempt to escape at 6.50am, six foreigners were involved in a road accident trying to cross the highway. The victims are two men, two women, and a boy and a girl believed to be of Rohingya ethnicity.”
He said in a press conference that the police have re-arrested 229 escapees with the help of nearby villagers, and called on the public to help locate the rest.
“This case will also be investigated and assisted by the Kedah police. We also hope to get help from the community.”]
Meanwhile, Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said in a statement that as of 10am, 362 detainees have been rearrested.
He said they fled after breaking the block door and the grill barrier.
“The officers on duty have activated the SOPs by contacting the police and relevant agencies for assistance.
“The search and arrest operation is being carried out with the cooperation of police and Rela.”
At 4.20am, hundreds of detainees fled the temporary depot, much to the surprise of the nearby residents, who took photos and videos of them escaping on foot. – The Vibes, April 20, 2022
Courtesy of a reader in Penang, here's a clip of the detainees on the road: pic.twitter.com/kPQo0d0NN0
— TheVibes.com (@thevibesnews) April 20, 2022
