BUTTERWORTH, Feb 17 — A policeman was injured after being punched by a man who tried to evade arrest in Jalan Raja Uda here two days ago.

Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) district police chief ACP Noorzainy Mohd Noor said in the incident at about 12.30pm on Saturday, a constable from the Butterworth police station on crime patrol duty had spotted a car driven by a suspicious-looking man and ordered him to stop the vehicle for inspection.

"However, the 42-year-old driver sped off before the policeman stopped him at Jalan Raja Uda and during a body check, the man acted aggressively by punching the policeman’s face and causing swelling in the nose.

"The suspect also hurled verbal abuse at the police officer and a fight ensued when he tried to grab his car key in an attempt to flee. The policeman later seized a transparent plastic package containing drugs,” he said in a statement here today.

The suspect, who was found to have previous criminal and drug records, tested positive for drugs while the constable’s nose was fractured in the incident and was sent to the Seberang Jaya Hospital for treatment. 

"The self-employed man has been remanded for five days to assist with the investigation and the case is being investigated under Section 333 of the Penal Code,” he said. — Bernama