Stolen Motorcycle Accusation Led To Teenager’s Torture And Death, Say Kedah Police

ALOR SETAR, Oct 12 – A motorcycle theft allegation is believed to have prompted a group of suspects to torture and beat an 18-year-old youth to death before abandoning his body along Jalan Harvard in Gurun, Kedah police confirmed.

Kedah Police Chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah told reporters during a press conference at the Kedah Contingent Police Headquarters on Monday, October 12, 2026, that authorities were alerted to the discovery of the body at 8:05 AM on October 8.

An official post-mortem examination determined that the victim died from severe blunt force trauma to the head.

Investigators believe the suspects acted out of anger after local residents raised complaints alleging that the youth had stolen a motorcycle in the area.

Incident Timeline, Arrests, and Unrelated Migrant Smuggling Case

Police detailed the chronological events surrounding the murder investigation along with a separate enforcement operation:

• Victim Detained & Assaulted: The victim, identified as 18-year-old Muhammad Haikal Mohd Shahrilnizam, was apprehended in Pendang on October 5. He was taken to a suspect’s home, where he was held for two days, tortured, physically beaten, and had his hair forcefully cut.
• Time of Death & Body Dumping: Haikal succumbed to his injuries inside the house on the night of October 7, after which his body was dumped by the roadside along Jalan Harvard. He was discovered wearing yellow and black sportswear with visible facial and head injuries, initially lacking identification documents.
• Mass Arrests & Seizures: Police arrested 14 male suspects aged between 16 and 24 during targeted raids across Gurun and Guar Chempedak on October 8 between 12:00 PM and 8:30 PM. Authorities seized 14 mobile phones, a Honda City, scissors, and the victim’s identity card.
• Remand & Murder Charge: Twelve adult suspects have been remanded for six days until Wednesday, while two underage suspects were remanded until Tuesday. The case is being investigated for murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
• Separate Hutan Kampung Toll Incident: In an unrelated case on October 7, police launched a manhunt during Ops Pintas after a Proton X70 SUV carrying five suspected undocumented migrants attempted to run over a police officer and crashed through the Hutan Kampung Toll Plaza. Police fired a shot at the vehicle’s tyre before the driver abandoned the SUV 28.3 kilometres away in Pendang.
• Wanted Suspects: Kedah police are actively tracking down two men—Muhammad Raffi Yusrino, 28, and Zulfikrie Naaim Morhinino, 36—to assist in investigations regarding attempted murder and obstructing public officers.

Police urge members of the public with additional information on either incident or the whereabouts of the wanted individuals to contact the nearest police station immediately.

–NMT