Six men arrested after temple machete attack in Jelutong leaves two victims with severed fingers

GEORGE TOWN, June 23 — Six men were arrested on suspicions of attacking two men and causing severe injuries at a temple in Jelutong early Sunday morning.

Penang police chief Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng said the 4.30am attack was believed to have been caused by a misunderstanding between a victim and a group of suspects at an entertainment outlet, who then followed the victim to the temple.

The first victim, 31, was accused of stealing one of the suspects mobile phone, but the accusation was untrue.

“The suspects are believed to have followed the victim to a temple in Jelutong before attacking him. Another man, 64, believed to be the temple’s caretaker tried to break up the fight but was set upon by the suspects instead,” he said in a media conference at the Penang contingent police headquarters here today.

The first victim lost his index finger while the second victim lost his little finger in the attack, and both victims suffered injuries from being slashed but are reported to be in stable condition at Penang Hospital, he added.

Following the attack, six men, 26 to 38, were arrested on the same day around Timur Laut district, and a machete, clothes believed to have been worn during the attack, six mobile phones, two keys, a remote control device, two motorcycles and a car were seized.

Preliminary investigations revealed that some suspects had prior drug and criminal records, but all tested negative for drugs, he said, adding that they have been remanded for seven days from yesterday till June 28 to assist investigations under Section 326 and Section 120B of the Penal Code.

In other developments, Lim said 12 men were arrested for suspected football betting and online gambling and RM8,692 in cash was seized in an operation launched in conjunction with the 2026 Fifa World Cup from June 11 to July 19.

The men, 27 to 72, were processed and investigated and has yet to be released on police bail, he said, adding that investigations were being carried out under Section 6(1) and 6(3) of the Betting Act 1953, Section 4(1)(c) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. — Bernama