Police classify roadside discovery of ex‑prisoner’s body near Machang as sudden death

KOTA BHARU, July 3 — Police classified the discovery of a man’s body by the side of the Kota Bharu-Kuala Krai road, near Machang, yesterday afternoon as a sudden death case, after an initial examination found no criminal elements.

Machang district police chief Supt Azuhar Md Nor said his team received information about the discovery of the man’s body at around 3.47pm, lying face down on the grass verge at Kilometre 25 Jalan Kota Bharu-Kuala Krai.

He said the Malay man, around 45 years old, was from Kota Bharu and was believed to be an ex-convict who had just been released from prison. The victim was reported to have been seen walking before being found unconscious.

“The Machang Hospital team that arrived at the scene confirmed that the victim had died. An initial examination by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) forensic team of the Kelantan police contingent headquarters (IPK) found no signs of injuries with criminal elements,” he said in a statement today.

Azuhar said the victim’s body was sent to the Kuala Krai Hospital’s forensic unit for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. He said the investigation found that the victim had a criminal record under Section 427 of the Penal Code.

He also advised the public not to make any speculation that could interfere with the police investigation, and requested anyone with information related to the incident to come forward and assist the investigation by reporting it to the nearest police station. — Bernama