A man was attacked by a machete-wielding individual inside a shopping mall in Seremban, Malaysia. The attack left a gruesome scene in the mall and resulted in the victim being hospitalised.
The disturbing incident on Sunday night was caught on surveillance camera, which has been circulating widely online. According to a report, the 40-year-old victim was targeted at around 7 p.m. in what authorities are calling a revenge-driven assault linked to gangsterism.
It began when a group of men raced up an escalator the Malaysian mall, according to Seremban police chief Hatta Che Din. The victim, whose identity has not been released, was smoking when he spotted the group approaching him. Among the men was the attacker, who was armed with a ‘parang,’ a machete-like weapon commonly used in Southeast Asia.
Hatta said in a statement on Tuesday that the victim was caught off guard by the sudden attack and struck several times by the machete. Some slashes were captured in the video, showing the victim stumbling into a store as he tried to escape the attacker. Several people were in the store, but the attack continued with a savage assault. The victim managed to run away, leaving a trail of blood on the floor and the attacker on his tail.
According to Hatta, the victim managed to escape with the assistance of a nearby friend. The friend took him to the hospital to be treated for several gashes. He sustained injuries to both of his arms, back, and right leg. The victim remained in the hospital in a stable condition.
Authorities believe the brutal assault stemmed from a personal vendetta, adding that it may be connected to gang-related activity. The attacker has already been identified, and police say a manhunt is underway to locate and apprehend the suspect.
The case is being investigated under Section 324 of Malaysia’s Penal Code, which addresses voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous weapons. If convicted, the assailant could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine, caning, or any combination of the three.
