BATU PAHAT, June 24 — The puzzling find of a human skeleton in the undergrowth of a durian orchard near Penghulu Mukim Linau Complex near here, has been solved as it tragically belongs to a teenager who was reported missing a month ago, based on family identification.
Batu Pahat deputy police chief Supt Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said the identification was done through documents and some items found on location belonging to the victim, Hafiz Fauzan Abdul Halid, 16, who was reported missing on May 26.
He said the victim was a fifth former with an address in Bandar Putera Indah who was reported missing after leaving home on his motorcycle.
“The discovery of the skeleton on the side of Jalan Yong Peng-Muar at about 11.15am today by the public, apart from the presence of a damaged motorcycle in the orchard is believed to have been consistent with a road accident.
“The motorcycle that the victim was riding is suspected to have skidded to the roadside and hit an electric pole, causing the victim to fall into a rather steep bushy area in the durian orchard,” he said today.
Shahrulanuar explained that although identification from the family has been done, official confirmation of the skeleton found will be confirmed after the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) report is obtained.
“The investigations is being conducted under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, with the Criminal Investigation Division (procedure) to identify if there is any criminal element that caused the victim’s death,” he said.
Earlier, the victim’s father Abd Halid Sugiman, 44, stated that the number plate of the motorcycle that was found lodged in a gap of a tree was the same as his son’s bike.
“As the victim did not return home after leaving the house on May 25, our family tried searching for him on several roads that he might have used including Jalan Tongkang Pechah, Parit Raja, Sri Bengkal but there was no clue,” he said when contacted today.
It is understood that the teenager was headed to a friend’s house in Kampung Parit Ju, Tongkang Pechah to watch football before being reported missing. — Bernama
