Missing headmistress: Thermal camera used in SAR effort

The search and rescue (SAR) operation for Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Keramat Satu headmistress, Jashiah Rabu entered its 10th day Wednesday with a thermal camera introduced to detect body heat.

Hulu Selangor district police chief Supt R. Supramaniam said the tool could detect human body heat of as far as 500 metres.

"The tool can detect body heat effectively and we hope it will help us locate Jashiah," he told reporters at the SAR operations centre at Kampung Buluh Telur and Bukit Kutu.

Supramaniam said a total of 74 personnel from the police, Fire and Rescue Department, General Operations Force, Civil Defence Department, mountain guides and district education officers were involved in the operation Wednesday.

He said the rescue operation today was divided into three sectors covering the edge of Bukit Kutu and an oil palm plantation here within an area of two kilometres radius.

On the discovery of a pair of pajamas, lingerie, cotton and knife about two kilometres from the operation centre today, Supramaniam said it was still too early to confirm that the items belonged to the victim.

"We are engaging the canine dog unit (K9) to determine if the items were the victim's," he said.

Jashiah, 53, was last seen by a neighbour leaving her house on Oct 23 and when her husband Ruzilan Omar, 57, returned home he found the door ajar and Jashiah not home.

It is understood that Jashiah headed towards the Bukit Kutu forest reserve, here, after leaving her house on foot, and by hitching a ride.