A man was injured when shot by police when he and three others attempted to rob a senior citizen at Taman Pelangi in Johor Bahru today.

Johor police chief Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the incident occurred about 2.40pm when the 68-year-old victim, who had just withdrawn RM14,000 from a bank, was walking towards his car.

"The suspect suddenly lunged at the man. A policeman who was in the area saw the incident and went to his aide," he told reporters at the scene.

However, he said, the suspect continued to attack the senior citizen, and a scuffle broke out when three other men, believed to be the suspect's accomplices, joined in attacking the victim and the policeman.

He said the policeman acted in self-defence when he fired two shots, one of which hit the suspect, while the others fled on two motorcycles.

Mohd Mokhtar said the injured suspect, in his 30s and believed to be a citizen of a neighbouring country, was sent to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital.

Initial investigations found that the suspects are on the police wanted list for several robbery cases, the latest last week involving RM57,000," he added.

- Bernama