Manhunt underway for suspects involved in gruesome murder at Johor petrol station

JOHOR BARU: Police have launched a manhunt to track down the suspects involved in the gory incident where four men attacked a man at a petrol station along Jalan Sri Pelangi here, leaving him dead.
According to sources, the deceased, aged 44, had parked his car at the petrol station to check his tyres when the suspects, who arrived in another car, went up to him and immediately attacked him during the 7.30pm incident on Sunday.
Johor police chief Commissioner Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd said a foreign woman believed to be the victim's wife was inside the car, whom proceeded to immediately run for help.
"One of the men tried to pull the victim into their car, but he put up a fight. A commotion ensued," he told reporters at the scene.
Mohd Khalil added that the situation turned violent when one of the attackers stabbed the victim in the left chest, causing him to collapse on to the road.
"The suspects threw some firecrackers and ran over the deceased's body twice before fleeing the petrol station," Mohd Khalil said, noting that police have launched an operation to find the suspects and the vehicle used in the attack.
The suspects' car stopped briefly for one of the assailants to get into before fleeing.
Following the incident, police recorded a statement from the woman.
Investigators have classified the case as murder and those with information can contact the state police hotline at 07-2212999.
Mohd Khalil added that a description of the suspects' car, a white BMW with the registration plate WB79L, was posted on the Johor police's Facebook page.
Sources said the incident is believed to be gangland-related.
Meanwhile, State CID chief SAC Datuk Azman Ayob has urged the public not to spread unverified information about the gruesome murder.
"Any false information spread online may jeopardise investigations into the case. The probe is ongoing and there has yet to be any arrest. We will update the public if there is any new development," he said.
His comments came following news that has been circulating in social media that police have made several arrests relating to the case, which Azman has refuted.
Social media users have also uploaded photos of two suspects who were allegedly detained.
"The information that there have been arrests is inaccurate," he said.
The video clip of the incident has since gone viral on WhatsApp and social media.
Meanwhile, the body of the victim has been released and collected by his wife, a Vietnamese. She collected the body at around 2.10pm today from the Hospital Sultan Ismail mortuary.
At press time, it is not yet known where the body would be brought for the wake and funeral.