Ayer Itam brawl involved Geng 04 members in debt dispute, Penang police say

George Town, September 1 — Penang police have reported that a violent altercation, which left two individuals critically injured near a National Type Chinese Primary School, involved members of the Geng 04 gang. According to Police Chief Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng, all 13 men apprehended in connection with the incident are thought to be affiliated with the same gang, dispersed across various locations.

The conflict originated from a misunderstanding regarding debts, as investigations revealed that the dispute did not involve unlicensed money lending or loan sharking. The participants attempted to assist someone in recovering a debt from members of their own gang, but their efforts ended in violence after they could not agree on a resolution.

The violent confrontation escalated to the point where a suspect attempted to drive a vehicle into several people. Despite being targeted due to their resemblance to the suspects involved, the two victims in their thirties were later identified as innocent bystanders who were on their way back from a religious festival. Both victims remain hospitalized, but are currently in stable condition.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing and is being conducted under Sections 326 and 148 of the Penal Code.