Suspended cop beaten to death at swiftlet farm

A suspended policeman who broke into a swiftlet farm in Sitiawan, Manjung about 80km from here, was allegedly beaten to death on Tuesday.

Perak deputy police chief, Datuk Hasnan Hassan said Corporal Noor Hisham Abdul Halim, 35, who was attached to the Sitiawan police station, was found around 4pm in an unconscious state, lying face down with injuries to his head, hands, body and legs.

"The victim was discovered by members of the public who later contacted the police," he told reporters after pinning ranks for 42 police officers at the Air Operations Police Training Centre here yesterday.

He said Noor Hisham was pronounced dead on the way to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB) and a post-mortem revealed he died due of an injury caused by a blunt object.

Hasnan said according to police investigations, the victim who broke into the premises to steal bird's nests was caught and beaten up by workers at the swiftlet farm.

Hasnan said police also found several pieces of wood believed to have been used to strike the victim, near the premises.

He added that the victim had been suspended from work since Sept 18 for being involved in drugs, burglary and personal injury cases.

Police have arrested and remanded four suspects believed to be the swiftlet farm workers, for a week for investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, he said.

"The public are advised to not take the law into their own hands but to call the police immediately to deal with offenders," he said adding that police would not compromise if any of its personnel was involved in criminal activities.

Meanwhile, the victim's younger brother, Noor Hazarrudin, 29, when met at HRPB yesterday, said he was informed of the incident by his father, also a policeman in Langkawi.

He said his brother, the second of four siblings, leaves behind a wife and three children.