GERIK: Police have received two reports regarding attempted abductions involving two schoolchildren near Kampung Padang here.
Deputy Perak police chief Deputy Commissioner Zulkafli Sariaat said the first incident happened on Monday at 6.45am when a girl, 14, was riding her bicycle on her way to school.
Zulkafli said that, according to the girl, a grey van stopped in front of her, while a white van with a neighbouring country's license plate blocked her from the right side and followed her until they reached the road in front of the Kampung Padang cemetery.
"During the incident, a woman who knew the girl saw what was happening and called out to her.
"The woman's actions caused both vans to leave the scene," he said in a statement today.
He said the second incident occurred on Tuesday at 3.20pm when another 14-year-old girl was walking home from school to her house in Kampung Padang.
"A white van with a neighbouring country's license plate blocked her, and two unknown men wearing facemasks grabbed her school bag and dragged her, causing her to fall near the Kampung Padang cemetery.
"She was saved by her older brother, who arrived at the scene and kicked one of the men. Both men fled in the van," he said, adding that further investigations into both reports were being conducted by police.
As a proactive measure, he said the police had increased crime prevention patrols at schools, villages and areas prone to criminal activities.
"We advise parents or guardians to pay closer attention to their children's safety by personally dropping them off and picking them up from school to avoid any unwanted incident.
"They should also advise their children not to follow or approach strangers," he said, adding that efforts to locate witnesses and suspects were actively underway for further investigation.
Zulkafli said police were requesting anyone with information regarding the incidents to come forward and assist with the investigation at the nearest police station.