Two individuals in Penang who are linked to the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), including the organisation’s coordinator, were detained for questioning by police under mysterious circumstances last night.

The duo are unsure of why they were being questioned since the police did not tell them if they were investigated for any particular offences.

Both claim the police took their photos before releasing them unconditionally at about 11pm at the Perai police station in Penang’s mainland.

Seberang Perai Tengah district police chief ACP Mohd Anil Shah Abdullah when contacted by Malaysiakini neither confirmed nor denied the incident.

At about 7pm yesterday, four police officers in plainclothes picked up Hindraf coordinator RS Thanenthiran - consider the de facto leader of the embattled organisation - at his Penang home in a unmarked van.

According to Thanenthiran, the four did not produce any warrant of arrest.

“At first, they were headed to the Butterworth police station but then they receive new instructions to go to the Perai police station (nearby),” said Thanenthiran.

No statements recorded

Thanenthiran said he was questioned by a police officer about his involvement in Hindraf and the movement’s mammoth street demonstration on Nov 25 last year.

Meanwhile, Hindraf supporter M Ambalagan went to the Perai police station at about 8.30pm after learning that the police had come looking for him at his house earlier.

“They asked me about an incident in Perai involving (two ethnic groups). I said that we are not involved as we are only organising prayers (nationwide) for the five leaders detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA),” he said.

Ambalagan said he told the police that he was ready to cooperate with the police to the extent of coming personally to the police station.

According to the duo’s lawyer, K Paramanathan, the police did not record any statement from both his clients.

“I deem it to be harassment. The police took my clients photos despite them not being accused or suspected of anything,” said Paramanathan.

Linked to clashes?

The three-hour detention of the two Hindraf supporters are believed to be part of a police investigation into several clashes in Seberang Perai involving Indians and Malays over the past two days.

The incidents are said to have been sparked by a misunderstanding involving two motorcyclists on New Year’s Eve which degenerated into clashes during the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

Yesterday, Penang police chief Koh Hong Sun stressed during a press conference yesterday that

the violence was not related to any racial or religious disputes nor involving any organisation.

Koh revealed that thus far, 16 individuals - age between 16 and 30 - who were allegedly involved in the clashes have been arrested and will be held under remand until next week.

He urged the public not to spread rumours about the matter and that the police had already contacted political and religious bodies to mediate and resolve the matter.