KUALA LUMPUR: The first suspect detained in connection with the acid-splashing attack on national footballer Faisal Halim will be released.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the suspect will be released on the expiry of his remand on Tuesday (May 7) as he did not have anything to do with the attack.
"He was initially arrested as his motorcycle's registration number matched the one traced at the scene of the attack.
"However, we believe the real culprit used a fake registration number, thus the first man detained will be released," he said when contacted on Tuesday (May 7).
However, the suspect will be rearrested as he tested positive for drugs, he added.
It was reported that the suspect in his 20s, was detained in Pandan Indah on Sunday (May 5) night over the acid attack.
He was then remanded for two days, which expired on Tuesday (May 7).
Police have since detained a second suspect in Bandar Baru Bangi on Monday (May 6).
National winger Faisal, who is also known as Mickey, suffered an acid attack on Sunday at a shopping mall in Damansara.
Police received information from the public at 5.51pm that a national footballer was splashed with liquid believed to be acid when he was at a shopping mall in Kota Damansara.
The reason behind the attack is also uncertain.
Images of his injury are going viral on social media and many internet users are in shock that such an incident happened to a national football player.
Just days ago, his Harimau Malaya teammate Akhyar Rashid was robbed in Kuala Terengganu last week and suffered cuts and bruises.