Fear grips Tapah residents over multiple murders

Gripped by fear, local residents are worried for their safety over the chilling disclosure by Tapah police that a local mechanic and his family were linked to the brutal killings of at least four people.

According to a private medical practitioner, the fear could stem from the fact that Tapah is seeing its first case of multiple murders.

Met here on Wednesday, Dr Bajan Singh said he was aware many people thought twice about venturing out at night, in view of the multiple murders.

He said one of the four people alleged to have been murdered was a farmer and broker in Chenderiang whom he knew for 25 years. The doctor last met the man on Aug 20 this year.

"On that day, the man came with his son who wanted to have a health check-up before pursuing further studies in India.

"Later, when the man was reported missing, I thought he was involved in a road accident or had a heart attack.

"We looked for him all over the place, especially at an oil palm plantation where he was harvesting fruit but failed to locate him.

"He simply disappeared into thin air...until we received news that he could be one of the four victims of the cruel killings," he said.

Meanwhile, a man who declined to be identified, said the mechanic's 20-year-old son was a 'hot head' who easily became angry if anyone upset his father.

According to the 31-year-old, who was a regular customer at the mechanic's workshop, the son would appear normal but would become enraged when his father was scolded.