KUALA LUMPUR: From the horrific acid attack on Selangor superstar footballer Faisal Halim to the nationwide crackdown on GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd's operations, 2024 is a year that will not be forgotten anytime soon.
The New Straits Times takes a look at the year's biggest crime stories that gripped the nation.
BODY PARTS IN DRAIN
Istiqomah Ahmad Rozi, a 33-year-old teacher, was reported missing on Dec 26, 2023.
Five days later, human body parts, headless and armless, were found dumped in a rubbish can that was thrown into a drain in Alor Gajah, Melaka.
More than seven months passed before Alor Gajah police confirmed that the body parts did indeed belong to Istiqomah.
Police arrested a couple in Chemor, who were believed to have known the victim through foreign exchange investment dealings.
KLIA SHOOTING
On April 14, bodyguard Muhammad Nur Hadith, was left seriously injured after he was shot at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) arrival hall.
Further investigations revealed that the gunman had intended to shoot his wife, Farah Md Isa, who was waiting for the return of umrah pilgrims.
The suspect fired two shots, hitting Muhammad Nur, who had been hired as the woman's personal bodyguard. He survived the shooting.
The alleged gunman, Hafizul Hawari, was believed to have bought the gun he used from a Thai national for RM5,000.
He faced a slew of charges, including attempted murder of his wife.
ACID ATTACK ON FOOTBALL SUPERSTAR
On May 5, the nation was rocked by news that Selangor FC star footballer Faisal Halim suffered an acid attack at a shopping mall in Kota Damansara, Selangor.
In the 4.40pm incident, Faisal, together with his wife and child, were heading to their car when two men on a motorcycle approached Faisal.
One of them splashed acid on him, leaving him writhing in pain.
The suspect fled but then turned around to pick up the bottle of acid that had fallen.
Two men were picked up by police later that month, but were released.
On May 19, police released a photofit of the masked suspect.
No further arrests have been made and no one has been charged with the attack to date.
CHILD'S KIDNAPPING SPARKS PANIC
The disappearance of a 6-year-old girl from the bon odori festival at the Eco Galleria shopping centre in Taman Botani, Iskandar Puteri, Johor, on July 20 sent shock waves throughout the nation.
Police got a breakthrough in the case two days later when they arrested three suspects in Gelang Patah, Iskandar Puteri.
The child was found safe at a hotel in Batang Kali, Selangor, the next day. A 31-year-old suspect, who was with the girl, was arrested.
One of the suspects, who was released after his remand expired on Aug 4, was re-arrested after various sex toys and child pornography were found at his home in Kulai, Johor.
On Aug 8, an unemployed man, Leang Win Son, 31, claimed trial to charges of abducting and wrongfully confining the girl at the Johor Baru Sessions Court.
BOUND, GAGGED AND DROWNED
Sabari Baharom, 62, was home alone in Kampung Mengkuang Tengah, Kuala Pegang, in Baling, Kedah, on Sept 4 when two men broke into the house and abducted him.
His hands were tied and mouth taped before he was thrown into Sungai Padang Terap.
On Sept 27, police arrested the suspects, who confessed to killing him after he recognised them during a robbery.
On Oct 17, Mazuan Hanafi, 38, and his nephew, Muhd Asyraf Idris, 26, were charged with Sabari's murder at the Kubang Pasu magistrate's court.
A three-day search of the river for Sabari's body proved unsuccessful.
CUP PRIX RIDER KILLED IN FIGHT
Elly Idzlianizar Elias, a national Moto 3 and Cup Prix racer, died on Sept 11 of slash wounds sustained in a fight with three men in Taman Behor Gonchar Jaya a day earlier.
Before the brawl between 9pm and 10pm on Tuesday, Elly, 40, had gone to a house in search of a 51-year-old man, the prime suspect in the case.
On Sept 23, contractor Ibrahim Johan, 51, one of the three suspects arrested by police, was charged with the murder.
GISB CRACKDOWN
Police began their operations against GISB — said to be founded by remnant members of the banned Al Arqam deviant movement — on Sept 11 through phase one of Op Global, which resulted in the rescue of 402 minors from alleged exploitation.
Police rescued 201 boys and 201 girls from 18 charity homes in Selangor and two in Negri Sembilan. Investigations into some of the welfare homes that were raided led to claims of sodomy and abuse against the children.
Investigations revealed that children, who were ill, were allegedly not allowed to seek medical care until their condition worsened.
On Oct 23, GISB chairman and chief executive officer Datuk Nasiruddin Mohd Ali and his wife, Datin Azura Md Yusof, were charged at the Selayang Sessions Court along with 20 others with being members of an organised criminal group.
CHILD ESCAPES ABDUCTORS
A 12-year-old girl's abduction from Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang on Oct 8 sparked a massive manhunt.
Witnesses claimed that they saw her getting into a dark-coloured vehicle.
Left starving for four days by her abductors, the girl eventually escaped via an e-hailing ride with the help of an unidentified individual.
Six people, including two women, were arrested in the case.
Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said investigations found that she had been brought to an apartment in Setia Alam and molested by two of the suspects there.
Investigations also found that the girl's abductors were planning to sell her to a prostitution syndicate operating in the Chow Kit area.