KUALA LUMPUR – Police arrested seven individuals believed to be football supporters of rivals Penang and Kedah at a Shell station during a brawl in the Georgetown area of Penang yesterday.
The fight occurred after the highly anticipated Super League match between Penang and Kedah.
Northeast district police chief Soffian Santong said that the D7 team from the Timur Laut district police headquarters’ criminal investigation section was dispatched to swiftly apprehend the fight’s primary perpetrators and instigators.
“A team of officers and members from the Timur Laut district headquarters arrived at the scene to bring the situation under control.”
“The D7 team apprehended the individuals at the location. We also seized two stones, two road cones, and a wooden stick on the premises, which are believed to have been weapons used during the brawl,” said Soffian.
The police department also confirmed that some of the suspects were found with injuries and bruises, allegedly caused by the use of weapons during the incident, when they were brought in for questioning.
“One of the suspects shattered the glass door of a bus transporting team supporters. Two of the arrested individuals sustained head injuries from stones thrown at them.
“All of the suspects, who range in age from 18 to 38, are from Penang, Kedah, and Sarawak. None of them have a criminal record, and preliminary drug tests conducted by police were negative.
“The case is currently being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting and Section 427 for mischief. The arrested individuals will remain in custody for two days until August 24,” added Soffian.
Chaos erupted after a fight broke out at a Shell station between Penang and Kedah football supporters following their Super League match at the City Stadium last night.
Despite the off-field commotion, Kedah emerged victorious, securing a hard-fought 2-1 win against Penang.
The victory sees Kedah sitting in third place in the standings with 43 points after 20 matches, closing the gap with second-place Selangor by three points. – August 23, 2023
