A trader who received eight stitches on the lips and a swollen chin claimed that he sustained the injury when assaulted by a few policemen in an incident at Jalan Perak, George Town yesterday.

Muhammad Atiq Abdul Shukor, 21, claimed that he was riding his motorcycle at about 1.30 am when a few motorcyclists attempted to stop him, but he sped away because he was afraid.

"They chased me and then told me that that are the police. I stopped and then fell off my motorcycle and as I was getting up, I saw one of the five men picking up something and then asked me if it was mine.

"When I said I did not know what it was, three of them then hit, kicked and punched me before taking me to the Jelutong police station, where I was asked again if the thing was mine, but I insisted it was not mine," he added.

Following which, he claimed one of them then hit him on the face with a crash helmet, causing injury to his lips and broke his tooth.

"After they saw that I was injured, they took me to the Penang Hospital where I was given eight stitches and then they took me to the narcotic branch to undergo urine test," he added.

Muhammad Atiq, who lodged a report on the incident at the Jalan Petani police station yesterday, claimed he was released after his urine tested negative.

Meanwhile, Timur Laut district police chief ACP Mior Faridalatrash Wahid, when contacted by Bernama , confirmed receiving the report.

- Bernama