Cop hurt trying to control crowd

Monday November 26, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: A police officer was injured when he was hit on the head with stones and broken bottles during The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) street protest yesterday.

The attack on Dang Wangi CID sub-inspector Chew Choon Peng has left him with two gashes on his head with 12 stitches.

He is also suffering from bruises on his arms, shoulders and legs.

Chew was given outpatient treatment at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital. He is recuperating at his home in Cheras.

In agony: Sub-inspector Chew screaming in pain after being hurt during the protest in Kuala Lumpur.

An exhausted Chew revealed that he was caught off guard by the attack.

“A fellow officer was attempting to arrest a rowdy protester who was making derogatory remarks at our squad of 15 officers stationed in Jalan Hampshire.

“All hell broke loose when the protestor resisted arrest and I stepped in to help. The next thing I knew there was a sharp stinging pain on my head, and then I fell down,” he said.

He commended his colleagues for quickly controlling the situation and dragging him away from the 200-odd protesters who had begun hurling motorcycle helmets and bricks at the retreating team of policemen.

But the violence fizzled out as quickly as it had started and the protesters, too, retreated in the opposite direction towards Jalan Semarak.

Several of Chew’s colleagues were also seen limping, and others clutching their arms in pain after the short attack.

They then bandaged Chew’s head as he was bleeding profusely.