One of three fugitives sought by the Penang police has taken a teenager hostage in the vicinity of Sekolah Kebangsaan Indera Muda in Bukit Mertajam last night.

Mohamad Khairulnizam Abdul Rani, 19, was returning home from his brother-in-law's house when villagers saw him in the custody of a man, believed to be a fugitive, who was armed with a machete.

The armed man then took the teenager into the jungle, Penang police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi told a news conference in Tasek Gelugor, Penang.

He said, according to the hostage's father, Mohamad Khairulnizam was riding a blue Honda EX5 motorcycle bearing registration PKU 3147 when he was overpowered by the fugitive.

"We despatched a team to the area, as soon as we were alerted about the hostage-taking. I have also instructed the General Operations Force to scour the jungle," added Abdul Rahim.

Meanwhile, he said the police had arrested two fugitives, Mohamad Farid Akhtar, 24, and Mohd Shahrimi Mohd Noor, 28, in Kubang Semang between 9 and 10 last night.

- Bernama