GEORGE TOWN: A businessman was shot dead at point-blank range in front of a superbike shop in Jalan Datuk Keramat here after being tailed by two men.

The 46-year-old nasi kandar restaurant and car wash centre owner, identified as Syed Amen Jainul Abdin, was shot twice in his head, twice in his chest and once in his arm.

It was believed that he had pulled over his Mercedes Benz E-Class in front of the shop after realising that he was being followed by a motorcycle.

Upon stopping, one of the assailants alighted from the motorcycle and fired six shots, five hitting the businessman while the other missed during the 3.30am incident Thursday.

Penang CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Zakaria Ahmad said the assailant also fired another shot towards two Rela personnel guarding the shop which had missed.

“It is too early to establish the motive. We will investigate this from every angle.

“The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder,” he told reporters.

The businessmen had allegedly received several death threats in recent years.

On Nov 13 in 2014, one of his cars was torched at his car wash centre after midnight.

A gun was left in his vehicle back in 2012 and he was allegedly threatened twice at his car wash centre after the incident.

The victim had claimed that it was the work of drug dealers who wanted to use his car wash centre as a transit point.-thestar