KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 - Police have launched a special operation to track down a man who allegedly doused an elderly woman with a substance believed to be petrol before setting her on fire at the premises of a number forecast operator in Taman Pusat Kepong here.
Acting Sentul district police chief Supt Jasni Zolpa said the 62-year-old victim, who worked as a counter staff member at the premises, was attacked by the unidentified suspect at 8 pm.
"Preliminary investigations revealed the victim did not have any enemies nor received any previous threats. The motive of the incident is being investigated," he said in a statement today.
Jasni said the victim suffered burns to about 50 per cent of her body and was rushed to Kuala Lumpur Hospital, where she was reported to be in stable but critical condition.
He said the Kuala Lumpur contingent police headquarters' forensics team had also conducted further investigations at the scene and collected several samples of related items and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to assist investigations.
The case is being investigated under Section 326 of the Penal Code.
Jasni urged anyone with information on the incident to contact investigating officer Insp Muhammad Amri Firdaus Jusoh at 010-9198209, the Sentul district police headquarters operations room at 03-40482222 or the nearest police station.
