MELAKA, Oct 17 — The police detained a mentally unstable man who caused a commotion while carrying a machete and a knife on the roof of his rented home in Bukit Tempayan, Tanjung Keling here today.

Melaka Tengah District Police chief ACP Christopher Patit said in the 11.30am incident, the 37-year-old suspect also punched his wife in the eye and scolded his children.

"Various efforts were made including asking the children to persuade their father to come down but the suspect ignored and continued to rant gibberish on the roof.

"The suspect still refused to cooperate when members of the Melaka Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) tried to persuade him and even swore at the police personnel at the scene,” he said in a statement here tonight.

Christopher added that a scuffle ensued when the police tried to arrest the men, causing several pieces of the roofing to fall off, but the suspect was subsequently handcuffed and brought down at 1.40pm.

"Based on the testimony of the 38-year-old wife, her husband is a mental patient and has received psychiatric treatment at the Melaka Hospital several times, and it is understood that the man has refused to take the medicine provided by the hospital.

He said the man, who also suffered injuries to his eyebrows and several parts of his body, was then sent to the Melaka Hospital. — Bernama