Penang police chief Azizee Ismail said the two men were detained several hours after the incident.

He said investigations were ongoing, including efforts to track down several other suspects and determine the motive for the attack.

“The detained men are assisting with the probe, which has been classified as murder,” he told Bernama today.

Based on preliminary investigations, the victims were attacked by more than 15 masked men wielding sharp weapons.

Azizee said the police are appealing for the public’s cooperation, urging anyone with information about the incident to share it with the nearest police station.

Yesterday, the media reported that a group of armed masked men had attacked the victims at around 4.30pm, allegedly over a debt issue.

A 59-year-old man died from severe slash wounds to the head while two other men were seriously injured and taken to Sungai Bakap Hospital.

Several videos circulating on social media had shown the injured victims, including one in critical condition.