Footprints believed to be those of missing headmistress found

A police search involving the K-9 unit (Tracker dog unit) found that headmistress Jashiah Rabu, reported missing since last Friday, never set foot in the Buluh Telur forest, here.

Hulu Selangor police chief, Supt R. Supramaniam, said the tracker dogs traced footprints believed to be that of the SK Taman Keramat Satu headmistress, to a hut about two kilometres from the search and rescue operation centre.

"However, the footprints of the victim was lost near the area," he told Bernama at the search site in the Buluh Telur Forest Orang Asli village, today.

"The search and rescue (SAR) operation entered the fifth day today and besides the dense forest, we have difficulty identifying the victim because of conflicting information from the villagers," he said.

However, Supramaniam believed Jashiah's movements were likely to be more limited due to fatigue and this could speed up the process of finding her.

A total of 71 personnel from the police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department, Forest Rangers, District Education Office, and villagers were involved in the SAR operation that began at 9 am today, he said.

The SAR operation was also assisted by the General Operations Force (GOF) from Sungai Perak Bidor, Perak.

Meanwhile, Kuala Kubu Bharu fire and rescue station chief, Kamil Hamadan said the search operations were divided into four groups to widen the search area.

Jashiah was last seen leaving by her neighbours on Friday afternoon after leaving her house in Taman Seri Seruling on foot, and by hitching a ride for a distance of about 10km to an Orang Asli village before being seen heading towards the forest reserve.