Woman dies after being hit with helmet by boyfriend

GEORGE TOWN: A lovers’ tiff led to the death of a 37-year-old woman, who succumbed to injuries after she was hit on the head with a helmet.

K. Surinder Kaur Dedi and her 55-year-old boyfriend took a motorcycle ride to Persiaran Bayan Indah on Saturday night.

The duo sat by the seaside off Queensbay Mall, drinking alcoholic beverages until they were drunk.

Surinder, also known as Koji or Sherry, started accusing her boyfriend of cheating on her with another woman, leading to an argument between the two.

In the heat of the argument, Surinder’s boyfriend allegedly hit her head with his helmet.

Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Che Zaimani Che Awang said the victim and her mother had known the suspect for the past 15 years.

“They were family friends and had been dating for the past four or five months,” he said here yesterday.

Zaimani said passers-by had intervened when the couple fought and apprehended the suspect before calling the police.

“A patrol team arrested the suspect.

“The victim was sent to Penang Hospital in an ambulance,” he said, adding that the suspect suffered no injuries.

The unemployed victim died at 5am yesterday.

Zaimani said the case, which was initially investigated under Section 326 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon, had been reclassified under Section 302 for murder.

He said the suspect had been remanded for seven days until Saturday.

Surinder’s sister-in-law, who wished to be identified only as Achik, said the family was still in shock.

“We cannot believe something like this happened to Surinder.

“The suspect always helped her and her mother.”

She said Surinder, a Muslim convert, would be buried at a Muslim cemetery near Masjid Jelutong.