Woman claims to have been pushed off Penang Bridge during argument

GEORGE TOWN: The woman who fell into the sea in an incident at KM 2.8 of the Penang Bridge yesterday claimed her male friend pushed her while they were arguing at the rest area on the bridge.

Penang police chief Datuk Khaw Kok Chin said that based on her initial statement, the 40-year-old woman had alleged that she was shoved by her 37-year-old friend, who is a senior police officer from out of state.

He said police have opened an investigation paper regarding the incident under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, and further investigations are underway.

"In the 7.45 pm incident, an argument broke out between the man and woman, who are friends, before their car stopped on the Penang Bridge, ...the woman claimed her male friend pushed her before both fell off the bridge.

"At that instant, a civilian (man) who was there quickly jumped in to save them and the three were rescued by a fishing boat and taken to the Batu Uban Marine Jetty and sent to hospital for treatment," he told reporters here today.

Khaw was commenting on the incident after the handover of duties ceremony of Timur Laut District Police Chief between ACP Razlam Abd Hamid and outgoing Supt V. Saravanan. Razlam was previously district police chief of Taiping, Perak.

He said the man was still in hospital for treatment of a head injury, and police would record his statement soon.

According to the investigation, he said the senior police officer has an ongoing criminal case under Section 323 of the Penal Code for assault in the Timur Laut district.

"We have to first get confirmation from other witnesses and then we can decide whether to remand the senior police officer," he said.

Khaw said the woman, who is not injured, is a factory worker living in Penang.

-- BERNAMA

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