Four Indians die in suspected arson of Malaysian shop

Authorities suspected arson in a fire on Wednesday that razed a textile shop and killed four Indian nationals in southern Malaysia.

Police said unknown assailants were believed to have doused a row of double-storey shops with petrol and ignited it in Johor state before dawn.

Firefighters managed to put out the blaze after more than an hour when they discovered the bodies of the four victims, state fire department deputy director Sukoh Sani Hashim said.

"We believe that the petrol was poured at the entrances of all the five shop lots," Sukoh was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper.

The victims, who have yet to be identified, were believed to have been asleep in the worker's quarters on the first floor when the fire began, he said.