THREE MINORS AMONG FOUR HELD FOR ABDUCTION OF TEENS IN SKUDAI

JOHOR BAHRU, June 17 (Bernama) -- Police arrested four youths aged between 15 and 20 in connection with the alleged kidnapping of three teenage boys from a supermarket in Skudai, here on Saturday (June 15).

Johor Bahru Utara District police chief ACP Balveer Singh Mahindar Singh said they arrested the four at 8 pm on Sunday (June 16) and seized the vehicle which is believed to have been used in the incident, in addition to recovering all the victims’ belongings.

He said the four suspects, including three juveniles, have been remanded for four days until Thursday (June 20) and that the case is being investigated under Section 363 of the Penal Code (kidnapping), Section 324 of the Penal Code (causing hurt with weapons) and Section 506 of the Penal Code (criminal intimidation).

"Investigation is ongoing to identify the motive of the incident,” he said in a statement today.

In the approximately 8 pm incident on June 15, the three 14-year-old victims were abducted by a group of about 10 people, one of whom was known by the victim, using three cars and taken to a location that could not be determined.

Balveer Singh said the suspects beat them up and recorded nude pictures of them, in addition to threatening to spread the photos if they revealed the incident.

"The suspects then fled with the victims’ belongings before leaving them at the same location,” he said.

He said the victims, who suffered bruises on the face and hands, were rescued with the help of the public and sent to hospital before going to the police station to lodge a report at 6.45 am on Sunday (June 16).

-- BERNAMA