Second post-mortem on Kugan begins

PETALING JAYA: The University Malaya Medical Centre began the second post-mortem on A. Kugan at noon Sunday, a procedure which may take up to 11 hours.

Kugan’s family, who had arrived before 9am, appeared calm as they waited for the second post-mortem to be concluded. It is being conducted by forensic pathologist Dr Prashant.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator T. Murugiah arrived slightly before noon to show his support.

Dr Prashant briefed Murugiah and Kugan’s family on the procedure before heading in to begin the post-mortem.

Murugiah later told reporters that he will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to submit the photos of Kugan’s scars and wounds.

“He was quite surprised when I explained to him the extent of the injuries as he was under the impression that there only bruises on the body.

“That is why I am bringing the photos to show him as he is very concerned about this case,” he said.

Kugan, 22, who had been remanded for two weeks in connection with investigations into several luxury car theft cases, collapsed and died at the Taipan police station in USJ, Subang Jaya, on Tuesday.

The first post-mortem was conducted at Serdang Hospital at 8am on Wednesday. It found that Kugan had died due to fluid in his lungs, but no explanation was given for what caused this.

Unhappy with the results, Kugan’s family sent his remains to the UMMC as they wanted an independent pathologist to carry out a second post-mortem.

Earlier Sunday, Kapar Member of Parliament S. Manikavasagam and N. Surendran, the lawyer representing Kugan’s family, had their statements recorded at the Sepang police headquarters on the incident at the Serdang Hospital.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S.K. Devamany and MIC youth chief T. Mohan, who visited the family at around 3pm, also had their statements recorded later regarding the same incident.

On Saturday, Surendran said the police had no objections to a second post-mortem if the hospital agreed to do it.

“We are very hopeful that the second post-mortem will shed some light into Kugan’s death,” said Surendran.

M. KUMAR
Star Online
25/01/09

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