SITIAWAN HOUSE FIRE INVESTIGATED AS MURDER - POLICE

IPOH, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Police have classified the case of a man killed in a house fire in a residential area in Sitiawan, Manjung, as murder. 

Manjung district police chief ACP Hasbullah Abd Rahman said they were informed of the fire at about 2.30am.

He said after the Fire and Rescue Department brought the fire under control, a check of the house uncovered the charred remains of a man lying face down, in the living room. 

According to Hasbullah, the investigation found that a witness had seen a male suspect enter the house and heard a disturbance in the living room.

"The suspect was later seen leaving the house, returning with two containers containing liquid suspected to be petrol and fleeing the scene just before the witness noticed the fire," he said in a statement today.

Hasbullah added that a post-mortem on the victim would be conducted at the Forensic Department of   Hospital Permaisuri Raja Bainun, here today.

Following a tip-off, police arrested the suspect near the scene the same day. The suspect has been remanded for a week to assist in the investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

"Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact the investigating officer, Assistant Commissioner Azalan Ab. Karim, at 019-3927837 or the Manjung district police operations room at 05-6886222," Hasbullah said.

Earlier, Perak Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations, Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad, confirmed that a man was found dead in the fire at a house in Taman Muhibbah 2 near Sitiawan, Manjung,  this morning.

-- BERNAMA