KUCHING: A teenager is facing the possibility of being blinded in one eye when he was struck by a slingshot projectile after being caught in the middle of a fight between two groups yesterday.
ATTACKED: The assault victim being led to the hospital treatment room by Civil Defence Department personnel.
The incident happened around 2.30am in Kampung Tabuan Melayu when the 16-year-old boy found himself in the midst of an ongoing ‘battle’ between two groups of youth hailing from different sections of the village.
According to a source, the groups had been involved in running fights with each other since midnight over an unknown issue, with each side targeting the other with slingshots, rocks and other objects.
The victim, who was on his way home at the time, had the misfortune of being struck in his left eye by a slingshot projectile and immediately ran back and informed his family of what had happened.
He was sent to the Sarawak General Hospital for treatment where sources said he faces the grim prospect of being left with only the sight in one eye.
In an unrelated incident, a 24-year-old from Tabuan Dayak was beaten and robbed by five men who accused him of assaulting their acquaintance yesterday.
The incident happened around 4am at Mile 3 when the victim and a friend were stopped by the men who accused them of beating up a friend of the group.
Before the pair had a chance to deny the accusation, the five men set upon them and also stole a bag containing a laptop belonging to the victim.
The friend managed to escape but the victim found himself being chased to a 24-hour eatery where the group bashed him up again.
The attackers, however, fled the scene when patrons at the outlet came to the victim’s rescue.
He was later sent to the Sarawak General Hospital and was treated for his injuries.