Housewife hurt by suspected homemade bomb
SUNGAI PETANI, June 22 — A 48-year-old housewife sustained serious injuries on her hands and stomach when a small package she was holding exploded at her home in Taman Angsana Sari at 8.21am today.
Tan Cheng Fang was rushed to a private hospital nearby and subsequently referred to Sultan Abdul Halim hospital in Sungai Petani for emergency surgery.
Kuala Muda deputy police chief Supt Ong Aik Chang when contacted, said from initial investigations, the package could have been a homemade bomb.
“We have yet to identify the material it was made from. But although the size was small, the impact could cause serious injuries or death if it is too close to the victim,” he told reporters here today.
Tan’s 11-year-old son, who sustained injuries in his eyes and ears after being hit by shrapnel, is also being warded at the hospital. His condition is reported to be stable.
One of the victims’ neighbours, who only wanted to be known as Lee, had with other residents sent the former to hospital. The neighbour said he heard a loud explosion before the victims started screaming in pain.
According to Lee, some of Tan’s flesh and fingers were strewn 10 metres away in the incident.
Police had not dismissed revenge involving business rivalry as the motive, said Ong.
“We also believe the bomb was deliberately sent to the victim’s house as her husband, a 48-year-old businessman, had received a call from an unidentified person informing him that a gift would be sent to his house,” he said. — Bernama
