IPOH: A man died after being electrocuted, believed to be while trying to steal a cable belonging to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), at Taman Silibin Ria near Petronas on the Ipoh-Lumut highway yesterday.

Ipoh police chief ACP Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said in the 6.07 pm incident, the 38-year-old victim and another suspect, who is still at large, were cutting the electrical cable when it exploded, knocking both of them unconscious.

“There were witnesses at the scene and they recorded a video showing the deceased and another suspect cutting the TNB cable, when the cable exploded, causing both of them to faint.

“The other suspect then got up and fled on a Honda C100 motorcycle. The case has been classified as sudden death,” he said in a statement today.

He said TNB had also filed a police report on the theft and the case was being investigated under Section 379 of the Penal Code.

An initial investigation by police also found that the deceased had 10 records related to violent and property crimes, he said.

He urged those with information regarding the incident to contact Ipoh IPD Criminal Investigation Department investigator, Sergeant Liyana Zulaikah Ibrahim at 0197765184 or Sergeant M T Michael Jevadas of Taman Rishah police station at 0165325208 to assist in the investigation.