Kuala Lumpur: Faced with strong protest by India, Malaysia on March 11 said it would investigate the "allegations" of detention and maltreatment of about 270 Indians, including IT professionals, by the police in Kuala Lumpur.

"We have received the protest from the Indian government. There are a number of serious allegations of abuse of power and wrongdoing as well as mistreatment made against the police," Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told reporters in the lobby of Parliament house.

"We take such complaints very seriously and we will investigate the matter in a transparent manner and let the Indian government know the outcome of this investigation," Hamid said.

He said it was not that the police wanted to raid just Indian nationals. "It is an ongoing exercise to eliminate illegals in our country."

Hamid said as per the records police arrested 165 people on March 9--Indian and other nationals--and all but six Indians and three Pakistanis have been released.

PTI