Kuala lumpur: Two men suspected to be criminals were shot dead in a shoot-out with police at the North-South Expressway entrance ramp here at 8.05 am today. Kedah police chief Datuk Fisol Salleh said before the incident, policemen patrolling the area came across a suspicious four-wheel drive vehicle before being ordered to stop.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the suspects then opened fire on the police vehicle, ending in a shootout that left both suspects killed in the vehicle. In the vehicle, police found two firearms, a revolver and semi-automatic pistol, several bullets, a machete, and tools for carrying out their criminal activities. He told reporters at the scene that a background check on one of the suspects, aged 41, revealed more than 40 criminal records, while the identity of the other suspect was still unknown due to lack of identification.

The police chief believes these two are part of a larger group that commits violent crimes across the country, including drug trafficking, gangsterism, factory break-ins, and armed robberies. This gang is believed to have been active since 2020. So far, the Forensic Unit has found three bullet casings at the scene and the investigation process is still underway. The bodies of the two suspects have been sent to the Forensic Department of the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar for autopsy, and the case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder.

Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) acting director Datuk Fadil Marsus, who was also present at the crime scene, said the two suspects are believed to be involved in a criminal gang committing serious crimes. The investigation is ongoing to determine whether these suspects are linked to a criminal group in Klang, Selangor, believed to have more than 30 members, and police will take more aggressive action moving forward.