TAPAH: Police today confirmed that 131 illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Rohingya ethnics escaped from the Bidor Temporary Immigration Depot.
District police chief Superintendent Mohd Naim Asnawi said that there was a riot incident inside the male block depot, and all the detainees managed to flee the facility.
"We received the first call about the incident yesterday, informing us that 131 detainees had escaped the Bidor Immigration Depot.
"One of the escapees also died after being involved in an accident at KM335 of the North-South Expressway (northbound).
"The search operation to locate all the escapees has been launched with the help of Batallion 3 of General Operations Force (GOF) as well as Perak and the federal police's Criminal Investigation Department," he said in a statement today.
The case is being investigated under Section 147 of the Penal Code, which covers rioting, and Sections 223/224, which covers breaking out of detention.
He added that those with information are urged to contact Tapah district police headquarters at 05-4015222.