Malaysian Indians 'dying in police custody'

Two PKR leaders want an independent commission to probe the death of Indian Malaysians while in police custody.

Merbok division vice-chairpersan V Arumugam and Jerai division chief B Kalaivanar said the Human Rights Commission and the Attorney-General Chambers should set up a commission to carry out transparent and impartial investigations.

The duo claimed to have received 11 complaints over the last two years from families of Indian remand prisoners who have died in police lock-ups nationwide.

"I am sure there are more unreported cases. We have not heard about remand prisoners of other ethnic groups dying in lock-ups, at least not that many. The community wants answers from the authorities,¡± said Arumugam.

Kalaivanar, who said he has handled four complaints, claimed that police investigations have remained open-ended or classified as ¡®suicide¡¯.

Two of the cases were in Selangor, he said, involving a 32-year-old in Klang in 2004 and a 22-year-old in Bukit Beruntong in 2006.

"Until today police have not revealed their findings and reportedly told the families that the investigations are still on," he said.

The duo were speaking journalists today at the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital mortuary in Sungai Petani, Kedah, where a second post-mortem examination was conducted by pathologist Dr Bhupinder Singh on a remand prisoner S Suria Ramesh, 29.

Findings confirmed

The re-examination was conducted on the order of the Alor Setar Magistrate's Court, obtained yesterday by Suria Ramesh¡¯s mother S Kanagambal, 54.

He had been arrested in Kulim last Thursday in connection with several alleged robbery cases, but died in the Kota Setar district police lock-up on Saturday.

Bhupinder¡¯s re-examination confirmed the findings of the Alor Setar Hospital that Suria Ramesh had committed suicide.

However, his uncle S Ganesan, 45, said he would wait for the full pathologist¡¯s report, expected to be out in two to four weeks, before contemplating action.

He still believes his nephew, who leaves wife Vimala and a seven-year-old son, did not commit suicide.

Police usually investigate death in custody if the post-mortem report raises suspicion of foul play or if the next-of-kin obtain a court order.

Athi Veeranggan
malaysiakini
26/11/08