130 drug inmates escape from center

130 drug inmates escape from center

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): About 130 inmates at a drug rehabilitation center in northern Kedah state escaped after rioting and setting ablaze five buildings on Saturday night.

The national Bernama news agency said yesterday that police managed to capture 47 of the inmates after a manhunt in the palm oil and rubber estates surrounding the center,

Senior police officer Superintendent Abdul Samah Haji Mat was quoted as saying some 550 other inmates in the center were safe and housed in their respective blocks. More than 200 policemen are involved in tracking down the remaining addicts, police officials said.

Bernama said the riot began when a group of inmates went to see the center's commander. They started burning the buildings when dissatisfied with his explanation on an undisclosed matter.