Ulu kinta: A 32-year-old man is feared to have drowned at a Tenaga Nasional Berhad substation at the Sultan Azlan Shah Dam, Ulu Kinta, in an incident believed to be related to cable theft. The situation unfolded yesterday when police reports indicated suspicious activities at the dam.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ipoh district police chief ACP Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad revealed that the Tanjung Rambutan police received a report about cable theft at approximately 12.40 am. This was followed shortly by another report, just 10 minutes later, concerning a man feared to have drowned near the same location.

The police chief explained that the drowned man is suspected of being involved in the cable theft along with another individual. The accomplice also ended up in the water but was rescued after getting trapped on the dam embankment. This individual has been detained to assist with the ongoing investigations.

The area around the substation is considered high risk, prompting the fire and rescue department to initiate search and rescue operations for the missing suspect. Perak assistant operations director of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad, stated that surface search techniques are being employed around the site of the reported drowning.

Sabarodzi confirmed the deployment of 10 personnel from the Tambun Fire and Rescue Station, with assistance from the Water Rescue team from the Ipoh Fire and Rescue Station. The search and rescue efforts are further supported by eight officers from the Royal Malaysia Police and 10 staff members from the dam.