Witnesses debunk police’s version of shooting

D Dinesh's friends dismissed the police's version that they were armed and aggressive, forcing the policemen to open fire.

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PETALING JAYA:  An unarmed D Dinesh was shot dead by the police as he was on his way to supper, said his friend Y Ilavarasan.

“When our convoy of three cars stopped at the traffic light near the Ampang Waterfront, two Proton cars blocked Dinesh’s car, the men inside came out and started shooting,” he said, adding that they were not armed as claimed by the police.

The 24-year old logistics executive said this at a press conference held at the PKR headquarters today which was also attended by Dinesh’s family.

Also present were PKR vice-president N Surendran, supreme council member Latheefa Koya, Kapar MP S Manickavasagam and Subang MP R Sivarasa.

On Aug 21, Dinesh, 26, was shot by the police in Ampang when he was travelling with his friends in the wee hours of the morning. He died two days later at the Ampang Hospital.

A post-mortem at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital showed that he was shot twice, on his right arm and the back of his head.

Yesterday, Ampang district police chief Amirudin Jamaluddin defended the police’s action, saying that Dinesh and his friends had charged at the police with machetes.

“They came charging towards the policemen and my men were forced to open fire,” he had said.

Dismissing the claim, Ilavarasan said that the policemen were in plainclothes and in unmarked cars when they blocked Dinesh’s car, which was behind Ilavarsan’s car.

“When Dinesh got out of his car to enquire, the police opened fire indiscriminately, I saw Dinesh trying to run back into his car before he got shot.

“Everyone panicked and I just sped off from the scene. I can assure you that we were not carrying any weapons,” he said.

‘They just kept shooting’
Another friend, Moses Ganesan, 23, concurred with Ilavarasan’s statement and said he saw Dinesh trying to run back to his car when the shooting started.

“They just kept shooting. Even my car has three bullet holes and I saw a taxi getting hit as well. I heard more than 10 shots being fired,” said the car dealer.

He also insisted that Dinesh was unarmed, saying he saw his friend getting out and running back to his car with nothing in his hands.

Ganesan’s car was parked one car behind Dinesh’ car during the shoot-out.

Both Ilavarasan and Ganesan lodged a police report on the incident at the Tropicana police station.

In a related matter, Latheefa said the police had remanded four people whom were present during the shoot-out at the Ampang district police headquarters before transferring them to the Seapark police station over the weekend.

She also said that six of Dinesh’s friends and relatives were also detained by the police when they tried to visit the deceased a day after the shoot-out. They were released yesterday after the police failed to get a remand extension.

“We want to ask the police what is the motive of their arrest. We’ll definitely follow up on this,” she said.

Calling it “murder”, Surendran urged Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Inspector General of Police Ismail Omar to suspend the officers involved in the shoot-out pending an inquiry.

He also warned the police not to harass witnesses in order to cover up the incident.

“We have other witnesses who didn’t come today. Do not harass them or we will resort to street protests,” said Surendran, who added that PKR would approach Suhakam on the matter as well.

Meanwhile, Dinesh’s father, Y Darmasena, 69, said that his son was never involved in any criminal activities and was a simple person.

“I want justice for my son. Let the person who shot my son be charged,” he said.