POLICE LOOKING INTO CLAIMS THAT BELGIAN WOMAN HIT BY STRAY BULLET

GEORGE TOWN, Nov 21 (Bernama) -- Police are investigating claims that a Belgian woman was injured by a stray bullet when she was at home in her condominium unit in Batu Ferringhi last Monday.

Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said the woman, 67, who is a Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) visa holder claimed to be at home when she heard a bang and was injured at 5.35 am.

"The victim, who stays with her son, received treatment at a private hospital and was kept in the ward for a day before lodging a police report about the incident at 11.39 am yesterday.

"Investigations at the location of the incident by a forensics team found blood splatter believed to be from the victim in a room in the condominium,” he said in a statement today, adding that they did not find any bullet or signs of a gunshot in the victim’s home.

According to the statement of the doctor who treated the victim, the woman suffered a laceration wound above her eyebrow and the injury was believed to be due to a blunt object and there were no gunshot wounds found on any part of her body, he added.

Preliminary investigations also found there were several inconsistencies in the victim’s statement, he said, and that further investigations were being conducted to identify the real cause of the incident that led to her injury.

The case is being investigated under Section 37 of the Arms Act 1960 for causing injury with an arm without lawful excuse, he said.

-- BERNAMA