A Form Two female student managed to escape an attempted kidnapping in Pekan Simpang Kuala here on Wednesday night after fighting back against the suspect.
According to Syed Basri Syed Ali, the incident occurred at around 8.26pm when the teenager, who studies at a secondary school in the district, was approached by an unknown man riding a motorcycle.
The suspect allegedly stopped his motorcycle in front of the victim while she was walking through an alley in the town before suddenly grabbing her.
“The suspect hugged the victim and covered her face using his hand,” he said in a statement today.
However, the student managed to free herself by biting the suspect’s hand before fleeing the scene and running to a nearby tuition centre to seek help.
Police said the victim lodged a report today and investigations are being carried out under Section 363/511 of the Penal Code as well as Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
Syed Basri added that forensic personnel from the D10 Forensic Division under the Criminal Investigation Department of the Kedah police contingent headquarters had also been called in to collect samples from the scene.
Authorities are currently tracking down the suspect, while members of the public with information related to the incident or the individual involved have been urged to contact the police to assist investigations.
The case has sparked concern among local residents, with many calling for increased safety measures in public areas frequently used by students and children.
