Elderly couple, grandkids brutally murdered
TAMPIN: An elderly couple and their two grandchildren were found brutally murdered at their home in Kg Batang Rokan in Gemencheh about 40km from here.
Atan Daud and his wife Sofiah Katas, both in their 80s, and their grandchildren Siti Khatijah Ismail, 22, and her younger brother Rashidi, 20, suffered severe slash wounds and were believed to have died on the spot from their injuries on Tuesday.
Their mutilated bodies were found by the siblings’ 15-year-old sister Siti Mariah when she returned from school at 2pm.
The siblings’ uncle Mohammad Atan, 42, who rushed from Nilai when informed of the deaths, said he had no clue why would anyone want to commit such a heinous crime.
“This is shocking, my parents never had enemies. Why would anyone want to kill my family?” said Mohammad who works as a technician at a factory in Nilai.
The siblings’ aunt Maznah Tukiman, 47, who rushed from her house at Felda Serting, said Siti Mariam first saw Siti Khatijah lying motionless at the porch of their house.
“When she walked closer, she saw a knife sticking out from her sister’s back. There was blood everywhere,” she said.
Siti Mariam then ran to her grandparent’s home located next door and had another shock when she saw their blood-soaked bodies.
“She also stumbled upon Rashidi’s body lying in the hall. She then ran off to seek neighbours’ help,” she said.
It is understood that the siblings’ mother Habshah was away working at a nearby factory at the time of the murders. Her colleagues brought her home immediately when told about the tragedy.
It is learnt that the police were looking for the murdered siblings’ father who has gone missing.
Neighbours described Atan, who was a former imam (religious leader) at a mosque in the village and a right-hand man to former Gemencheh assemblyman Datuk Mohammad Taha, as a humble man who could not possibly have had any enemies.
Police brought in tracker dogs immediately after the murders were reported. A forensic team was also despatched from Seremban to look for clues.
However, their work was hampered by a heavy downpour the entire evening.