KUALA LUMPUR: A policeman was shot in the leg with his own weapon while struggling with a suspect in Kampung Baru early yesterday, but still managed to get his man.

Lance corporal Mohd Azlan Abdullah, in his 20s, was on his rounds in a patrol car with a colleague when they spotted two men in a Proton Wira behaving suspiciously near Jalan Chow Kit at 3am.

As the police car approached, the Wira sped off and a chase ensued. Azlan and his partner, both attached to the Dang Wangi police station, called for back-up.

As the suspects drove into Jalan Hamzah in Kampung Baru, they did not realise that another 12 patrol cars were blocking all the exit points from the road.

Unable to find his way out, the driver of the vehicle made several turns and U-turns, and even made a desperate attempt to escape by ramming into the rear of one of the patrol cars.

This finally came to an end when the car ended up in a drain. Both men ran in different directions but the driver was tackled by Azlan.

As the two scuffled, the man made a grab for Azlan's Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun. A shot went off and the round tore right through the policeman's right leg.

Several residents, hearing the commotion, then helped Azlan apprehend the suspect.

Azlan was later admitted to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital where he is reported to be in stable condition.

Dang Wangi police chief Assistant Commissioner Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said the man Azlan arrested was a 40-year-old Indonesian whose passport showed he had overstayed in the country.

He lauded the Kampung Baru residents for their bravery in helping Azlan.