MIRI: An Indonesian man succumbed to body injuries after he was allegedly attacked by several of his fellow countrymen in a small shed near Ladang 3 at Km66.8 Bintulu-Miri road on Thursday afternoon.
The attack on the pirate taxi driver was said to have occurred around 3pm Thursday.
The deceased, identified as Anwar, 38, was pronounced dead at Batu Niah clinic around 6pm due to serious injuries he sustained.
Police are still investigating the case.
Miri deputy police chief Supt Stanley Jonathan Ringgit, when contacted yesterday, disclosed that the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
“We have detained an Indonesian man, aged 33, who was with the deceased when the attacked occurred. He was nabbed at Sungai Tangit, not far away from the attack scene,” he said.
He said police are still into investigations on the motive of the attack.
According to sources, Anwar was a pirate taxi driver (‘van sapu’), ferrying his fellow countrymen working at plantation estates in the rural areas here to commute between Kalimantan (Indonesia) and Miri.
A team of Miri Criminal Investigation Department (CID) led by ASP Julius Panai, rushed to the scene after receiving a report lodged on the incident around 6.15pm yesterday.
Sources added that before the brutal attack, Anwar and his friend (the man with the deceased travelling in the pirate taxi) had driven to the scene where 10 to 15 Indonesian plantation workers were waiting.
Upon approaching the small shed, the deceased was said to have entered into an argument with his ‘customers’.
The discussion suddenly erupted into violence as his ‘customers’ attacked him.
The deceased’s friend (who is under police custody) ran off on foot upon seeing their ‘customers’ dragging and attacking Anwar at the scene.
Sources said Anwar’s friend had run for 1km away from the scene before deciding to turn back. When he arrived, none of the attackers were at the scene.
“The assailants left the injured Anwar at the scene… he was later sent to Batu Niah clinic by the friend,” said Stanley.
The CID team left the scene after combing the area around 2am Friday.