ALOR GAJAH - A man leaves his girlfriend after their vehicle plunged into a river out of fear of being caught for ‘khalwat’ at Paya Lebar, Masjid Tanah, here on Thursday night.
Alor Gajah district police chief Superintendent Ashari Abu Samah said that in the incident at about 9.30pm, the 30-year-old suspect was believed to have panicked after encountering a police patrol car conducting crime prevention rounds in the Masjid Tanah Forest Reserve area.
"The suspect accelerated the vehicle for about 14 kilometres before the Perodua Myvi he was driving plunged into the river at Paya Lebar.
"Subsequently, he fled by swimming across and left his girlfriend in the vehicle," he said in a statement here on Friday.
He said that a police examination of the vehicle found no offences and the suspect was believed to have fled out of fear of being caught in close proximity with the newly acquainted female companion.
"The 26-year-old woman was rescued by the police and did not sustain any injuries before being sent to her relative's house in Telok Gong.
"Further investigation into the suspect revealed that the man had three prior criminal records related to drugs," he added.