Selangor police confirmed that two of the three people who were killed in a shooting incident at Jalan Rawang-Batu Arang near here last Saturday, were members of Gang 08 triad who had been involved in numerous robbery cases in the state.
Selangor police chief Datuk Noor Azam Jamaludin said the suspects were identified as GThavaselvan 31, S Mahendran, 23, and Sri Lankan J Vijayaratnam 40.
Thavaselvan and Mahendran’s identities were obtained through fingerprint checks with the National Registration Department and they were identified as 08 Rawang triad members, while Vijayaratnam’s body was identified by his stepdaughter.
“Thavaselvan had 23 criminal records involving robbery cases and was detained under the Emergency Ordinance 1969 in 2006 and the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) in 2014, at the Simpang Rengam Prison. He was also wanted by the Kuala Selangor District Police in connection with a robbery case.
“Mahendran was also identified as a 08 Rawang triad member and was involved in a robbery case in Sentul while Vijayaratnam was involved in a robbery case in Sentul in 2016,” he told a press conference here today.
In response to questions if Vijayaratnam was a permanent resident in the United Kingdom and had just arrived in the country on August 31, Noor Azam said a check on the suspect’s name found no record of his arrival at any of the country’s entry points.
On comments that Vijayaratnam’s wife, GMoganambal, 35, was reported to be in the car at the time of the shootout, Noor Azam said police were tracking down the woman believed to have gone missing on the day of the incident and appealed to the public with information, to contact the nearest police station.
“Police also deny that the woman was in the car at the time of the incident, and we confirm that only three suspects then,” he said.
Last Saturday, Noor Azam was reported to have said three men believed have been involved an armed robbery, were killed during an exchange of fire and a search of their vehicle found two semi-automatic handguns, three machetes and face masks.
Related reports:
Sept 18, Shootout Puzzle: No Record of Fatally Shot Man Entering Country
Sept 18, Police Deny Involvement of Fourth Individual in Rawang Shootout Incident
Sept 17, Family: What Really Happened in Rawang Shootout?