Penang cops gun down 5 members of notorious gang

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Five gang members shot dead by police

Posted on 19 August 2013 - 02:51pm
Last updated on 19 August 2013 - 08:52pm
Edmund Lee

GEORGE TOWN (Aug 19, 2013): In what may be the first concerted move against gangs after the spate of shootings nationwide, police shot dead five members of the notorious 04 gang at the Taman Century service apartments in Pantai Jerejak here today.

After a week of monitoring their movements, police moved in on an apartment unit on the 11th floor at 4.45am. The police team ordered the occupants to surrender but shots were fired at them from inside.

Police stormed the unit and shot dead J. Gobinath, 31, R. Ramesh, 27, A. Vinut, 23, M. Suresh, 25, and M. Gobinath, 21.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar told a press conference that the leader of the gang as well as other gang members were still at large.

He said the five shot dead were believed to have been responsible for seven murders in Penang, two in Kedah and one in Negri Sembilan. They were also believed to have attempted to kill two people in Penang.

He said all the cases involved firearms.

Khalid said police recovered three pistols from the scene. Fifteen mobile phones were also found.Checks showed that those gunned down had criminal records for drugs, causing hurt and robbery.

Hours after the incident, a crowd of nearly 50, including parents of those shot dead, gathered outside the Penang Hospital mortuary to protest the shooting of the five.

One of them told reporters that they would only collect the bodies of the deceased when police issued a detailed report on the incident.

In a fit of temper, a member of the crowd threw a helmet towards the mortuary.

Sri Delima state assemblyman RSN Rayer said he will accompany the families to lodge a police report at the Jalan Patani police station later.

Meanwhile, tourist Karen Terkins, 50, said she heard shots being fired during the pre-dawn incident.

“I heard people screaming and yelling,” said the housewife from the United States, who is staying on the 12th floor.

The incident comes in the wake of shootings here including that of K. Veerappan, 37, who was shot 14 times while at the junction of a traffic light in Jalan Anson here on Aug 8. Gunmen had also fired upon a bungalow in Jalan Utama here six times earlier the same day.

The following day, a 43-year-old bouncer was injured in the right thigh outside a night club in Jalan Datuk Keramat.

 

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Published: Monday August 19, 2013 MYT 6:47:00 PM
Updated: Monday August 19, 2013 MYT 7:47:58 PM

IGP: Gang members behind 12 murder cases in three states (Update)

BY TAN SIN CHOW

Police officers carrying out investigations at the apartment in Sungai Nibong

GEORGE TOWN: The five men who were gunned down by police early today were behind 12 shooting cases in three states, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

He said the men, some of whom were members of the notorious gang 04, were involved in at least seven murder cases and two attempted murder cases in Penang, two murder cases in Kedah and one murder case in Negeri Sembilan.

The five were shot dead in an ambush by a special police team at an apartment at about 5am in Sungai Nibong here

Khalid said police also seized three pistols from the five men, aged between 23 and 27.

"We ran a test on the firearms and it was proven that they were used in at least 12 murder or attempted murder cases," he told a press conference.

"Seven of the murders and the two cases of attempted murder occurred in Penang. Two of the murders occurred in Kedah and one in Negeri Sembilan.
"All the cases took place over the past year, with the latest in Penang," Khalid said.

He said police laid an ambush at the apartment block before moving in.

"We were shot at first before we acted in defence and shot them down," he said.

He said police were tracking down several other members of the gang believed to have been involved in the murders and shootings.

"Preliminary investigation indicates that one of the five shot dead today was the leader of the gang. The gang moved about on the orders of the leader and based on its targeted victims.

"It does not stay in any one place for long so as to avoid detection by the police," he said.

Khalid said police had been monitoring the gang for several months and had set up a special team to investigate all the murder and shooting cases.

"The investigation and intelligence gathered resulted in today's success," he said.

Replying to a question, Khalid said the gang members offered themselves for hire to kill or shoot but they had also killed and shot people out of vengeance and other motives.

He also said that four of the five men had several previous criminal records.

Earlier story:

GEORGE TOWN: Police here have shot dead five men who are believed to be members of the notorious Geng 04.

The shootout occurred at 5am Monday, at an apartment in Sungai Nibong.

The five, believed to be in their 20s, were said to have been involved in the recent spate of shooting cases in the state this year.

Police had been monitoring their activities before moving in on a unit on the 11th floor of the building early Monday.

It is learnt that police have seized three pistols from the scene.

Police officers knocked on the door of the apartment but there was no response. They retaliated when the suspects opened fire from the inside of the apartment.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar is expected to hold a press conference in the afternoon over the incident.

A recent spate of shootings in the state and various parts of the country have sparked speculation of a gangland war.

On Aug 8, K. Veerappan, a 37-year-old scrap dealer believed to be associated with Gang 36, was shot dead when he stopped the car he was driving near a traffic light in Anson Road.

A motorcyclist rode up and the pillion rider whipped out a pistol and fired 14 shots, 10 of which hit Veerappan's neck, cheek and abdomen.

Earlier the same day, a gunman fired at least six shots at a businessman's bungalow in Jalan Utama. No one was injured in the incident, believed to be a triad's warning to the businessman.

On Aug 9, a third shooting occurred in the state, in Jalan Datuk Keramat, where a 43-year-old bouncer was hit in the left thigh.

A gunman fired seven shots but only one hit the victim, believed to be one of the top leaders of the Si Lian (Four Tyres), also known as Geng 04.

 

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Published: Monday August 19, 2013 MYT 8:33:00 PM
Updated: Monday August 19, 2013 MYT 8:49:18 PM

Why can't police fire warning shot, asks dead gang member's family

BY KIATISAK CHUA

Khalid (middle) and Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi (right) showing reporters the pistols that were recovered at the apartment in Sungai Nibong

GEORGE TOWN: Family members of the five suspected gang members killed in a shoot-out in Sungai Nibong have criticised the police for being trigger-happy.

A Nadarajah, 62, the uncle of one of the deceased, said they would not claim the bodies until the Inspector-General of Police "explains the whole situation" over the incident.

"What is the reason that they have to start shooting when they can just fire a warning shot?" said Nadarajah.

"They were all sleeping inside and I believe the police can just easily apprehend them," he said outside the mortuary of Penang Hospital where the post-mortems on the bodies were being carried out.

V.R.Murugasen, 53, the father of another suspect, said he was baffled as to how his son and the other four could be related to the notorious gang 04.

"My son has no criminal record so how can he be affiliated to the gang?" said Murugasen.

Murugesan said the five suspects had moved into the apartment three days ago.

Over 50 family members had gathered outside the mortuary demanding to have access to the autopsy reports on the bodies.

Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N Rayer, who was at the hospital, said he would assist the family members in lodging reports at the Patani Road police station.

"They are not satisfied especially in the media report where the five of them are said to be associated with the gang 04," said Rayer.

"They are also seeking for the second post mortem to be conducted on the bodies," he added.

The five were killed in an ambush by a police special team at an apartment in Sungai Nibong at about 5am Monday.

Police said they were behind 12 murders - seven in Penang, two in Kedah and one in Negri Sembilan.