Johor Bahru:Police have detained a local man believed to be mentally unstable to assist in the investigation into the murder of an elderly man found lying covered in blood by the roadside in Permas Jaya, Masai.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Johor Bahru Selatan (JBS) deputy police chief Supt Ng Swie Chait stated that police received a tip-off from the public regarding the discovery of the 67-year-old victim at around 4.54 pm. The elderly man was found with serious injuries to his arms, head, and face. A post-mortem by a forensic pathologist at Sultan Ismail Hospital confirmed that the cause of death was multiple blunt trauma to the head.

Ng mentioned that the motive and cause of the incident are still under investigation. Acting on information, a police team from the JBS District Police Headquarters Criminal Investigation Department arrested the 47-year-old man in front of an eatery in Bandar Baru Permas Jaya at 6 pm on the day of the incident. The arrest followed a viral video on social media showing a local man behaving suspiciously by the roadside at the scene. An iron rod and a portrait photo were seized from the suspect.

It was revealed that the suspect has two prior records related to criminal and drug offences, although he tested negative for drugs. The suspect has been remanded for seven days, and the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code. Police urge anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the JBS police headquarters hotline at 07-2182323.