Police shoot dead triad member in Sungai Petani

A 27-year-old man, believed to be a triad member, was shot dead by police in a shootout in Lencongan Barat, Bandar Languna Merbok here Thursday evening.

Kedah Criminal Investigation Department Chief ACP Mohd Nashir Ya said in the 5.30 pm incident, K. Sujenthiran, believed to be a member of Gang 35, shot at police after a team tried to get close to his vehicle.

He said earlier a team from the Special Task Force on Organised Crime (Stafoc) on patrol came across a black Proton Wira Aeroback car driven by the man in a suspicious manner.

"The police came out of their vehicle and issued a warning to the suspect. After that, several gunshots were heard from the suspect's vehicle before the police returned fire," he said when met at the scene Thursday night.

He said the suspect, who was from Taman Bandar Baharu, Sungai Lalang, Bedong, was using a Czech-made 9mm calibre Luger semi-automatic gun.

Mohd Nashir said Sujenthiran was the main suspect in the case of the discovery of a body with bullet wounds in the head at the Sidam Kiri oil palm plantation here on September 16 last year.