KUALA LUMPUR: An imam at the National Mosque, Mohd Zuhairee Mohd Yatim, was slapped by an Indian citizen, during the Friday prayers today.

The Royal Malaysian police confirmed that the 31-year-old suspect was from Kashmir, India.

The suspect was detained by the mosque security guards as he tried to flee the scene.

According to the National Mosque deputy grand imam Ustaz Yusof Ahmad, the man was first seen moving in between prayer rows before slapping Zuhairee, who led the prayers.

"I thought the imam forgot his prayer lines. I don't know from where this man came, and suddenly slapped the imam," he told Astro AWANI's reporters Hans Yusoff and Israr Khalid together with cameraman Md Ruzi Mohamad Saman who coincidently were at the scene for prayers.

The suspect then ran, shouting in what is believed to be Indian language, before tripping over a tripod and falling down.

He was later taken to the Tun HS Lee police station for further investigation.
According to police, preliminary investigation found that the suspect was of unsound mind as he was seen speaking to himself.