UPNM: Statement of nine individuals recorded, suspect to be present at Cheras IPD this afternoon

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have taken the statements of nine individuals to help investigate the case of a Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) student who is believed to have been stepped on by a senior student until he was seriously injured on his rib and back.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said the individuals whose statements were taken involved witnesses to the incident and university staff.

"The suspect in the incident has also been identified and is scheduled to appear at the Cheras district police headquarters this afternoon to be interviewed," he said in a statement here today.

Yesterday, Rusdi in a statement announced that the 19-year-old victim, who is also a first-year student, suffered a fractured rib and spine after being injured by a third-year senior student and is currently receiving treatment in hospital.

The incident was reported to have taken place at 10.45 pm, Oct 21 when the victim was at the side of the parade field after finishing the roll call at the university and police only received a report related to the incident at 8.40 pm, Nov 8.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin through a sharing on X yesterday said his ministry was of the view that the incident was inappropriate and damaged the image of UPNM and higher education institutions.

Mohamed Khaled said the ministry is leaving it to the police to investigate the incident.

Earlier, the incident went viral on X when a woman questioned whether it was proper of a UPNM student to allegedly bully others while claiming that her younger brother was stepped on until his rib was fractured.

-- BERNAMA