Mistaken identity

SERDANG: A doctor was allegedly tackled to the ground, handcuffed and assaulted by an elite federal police team after being mistaken for a robber.
This happened last Friday at Hospital Serdang despite the 28-year-old being in his doctor's outfit, with a stethoscope around his neck and the hospital identification tag.
The raiding police team was acting on a tip-off that members of a robbery gang were at a food stall in the hospital carpark.
The doctor, who is attached to the cardiology department, suffered injuries after being allegedly assaulted by members of the federal Special Task Force on Organised Crime (Stafoc) who were clad in black full tactical gear, balaclavas and carried heavy firearms.
Despite a senior doctor at the hospital vouching for him on seeing him in handcuffs, the doctor claimed he was detained for hours and questioned if he had links to the robbery gang.
The doctor, who later lodged a police report over his ordeal, said he had thought the dozen-odd Stafoc members – who did not have police logos embossed on their attire – were robbers, and he had followed suit when other hospital staff and bystanders took to their heels to flee the chaotic scene.
Sepang police chief ACP Abdul Aziz Ali, who confirmed the incident, said an investigation on the doctor's report is being carried out.
"The complainant alleged that he was roughed up by members of the raiding party and the incident had brought him embarrassment.
"I give assurance that a comprehensive probe is ongoing and whoever was involved (in the case) will not be spared (of action). While the investigations are progressing, we urge the public not to make speculations about the case," he said.
It is learnt that following a robbery case in Kajang earlier, police had received a tip-off that seven suspects behind the case were spotted having their meals at the hospital's food stall, where the doctor who was on duty, was also having a quick dinner.
When the elite team arrived at the hospital compound, the suspected robbers who spotted them ran helter-skelter in a bid to escape but were apprehended.
In the melee, fearing for his life and in a state of panic, the doctor ran off towards the hospital building but was intercepted by a Stafoc personnel who tackled him to the ground.
Despite being attired in doctor's clothing and telling them who he was, the doctor alleged that several other policemen nevertheless assaulted him.
As he was being taken away after being handcuffed, a senior doctor who was at the scene approached the policemen and told them that the victim was a doctor attached to the hospital.
Although the policemen removed the handcuffs from him, his ordeal was not over as they insisted on taking him to the nearby Sri Serdang police station for interrogation.
At the police station, the victim who was suffering from the effects of the alleged assault pleaded to police for medical aid.
About three hours later, he was escorted by policemen back to the Serdang Hospital where he received treatment from his colleagues, before being taken back to the police station by the cops.
He was eventually freed on bail at about 3am and handed over to his waiting father who, ironically, is a policeman attached to a district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.