The child in the arms of a police officer following her rescue.
The machete used by the suspect during the incident.
KUCHING: Police rescued a young child from the clutches of her berserk father, who held a machete against the girl’s neck, after neutralising him with a Taser stun gun.
The incident happened around 5.45pm Wednesday when police received a distress call that a man had run amok and was holding his young daughter hostage at a house in Kampung Bintawa Hilir.
District police chief ACP Abang Ahmad Abang Julai, who confirmed the incident, said police personnel rushed to the scene and arrived to discover the suspect holding a machete against the girl’s neck while threatening to harm the child if anyone attempted to enter the house.
“The house had been locked from the inside and multiple attempts to coax the suspect to surrender were unsuccessful.
“Police were left with no other choice but to force open the door and neutralise the suspect using a Taser gun,” he said in a statement following the incident.
The man was immediately arrested while his daughter, who sustained minor injuries, was referred to Sarawak General Hospital for treatment.
“It was understood that the suspect was suffering from depression or mental distress after he and his wife divorced,” Abang Julai explained.
The suspect has been detained for further investigation.