Four police officers were alleged to have chased, handcuffed and then smeared turmeric powder on the face of a security guard, before beating him to death along with a mob at Taman Pekaka, Hulu Langat yesterday.
The body of the victim Sugumar Chelliah, 40, is currently at Serdang hospital. When his family members were allowed to identify his body some 20 hours after he had died, he was said to be still in handcuffs.
Infuriating his family members further was that the autopsy report had suggested that Sugumar had died of a heart attack, according to their lawyer G Sivamalar.
Sugumar was allegedly set upon by the mob at about 6.30pm yesterday, according to PKR human rights and legal bureau chief Latheefa Koya who spoke to a eyewitness.
Latheefa (left) said the eyewitness saw Sugumar being chased by police personnel into a cemetary. The reasons for the pursuit had yet to be determined.
“He was beaten, handcuffed and one of the police personnel took out turmeric powder and more (beating) by 10 to 20 people.
“Police then brought a stretcher and covered the body with the stretcher,” she said.
“Police then brought a stretcher and covered the body with the stretcher,” she said.
A forensics team collected the body at about 11pm, about four hours after Sugumar had died. The family members were only informed by the police at 11.30pm.
Hospital staff called police
Meanwhile, PKR deputy human rights and legal bureau deputy chairperson S Jayathas, who along with Latheefa accompanied the family to the hospital today, said a commotioned broke out outside the mortuary when hospital staff refused to allow the body to be identified.
Meanwhile, PKR deputy human rights and legal bureau deputy chairperson S Jayathas, who along with Latheefa accompanied the family to the hospital today, said a commotioned broke out outside the mortuary when hospital staff refused to allow the body to be identified.
He claimed the situation became worse after the hospital staff called in the police to handle the matter.
“The counter staff all went inside (the hospital). They called six security guards and around 20 police personnel, including four with M-16 rifles, to stand guard,” he said.
He added that at first, the investigating officer only permitted one family member to identify the body.
However, after discussing the matter with laywer N Surendran (left in photo), police allowed Surendran, Kapar MP Manickavasagam and four relations to see the body, Jayathas said.
According to him, Manickavasagam established that the victim was still in handcuffs.
According to the autopsy result from the hospital, Sugumar died from a heart attack. Latheefa said deceased’s family has instructed their lawyers to seek a second autopsy.
“The counter staff all went inside (the hospital). They called six security guards and around 20 police personnel, including four with M-16 rifles, to stand guard,” he said.
He added that at first, the investigating officer only permitted one family member to identify the body.However, after discussing the matter with laywer N Surendran (left in photo), police allowed Surendran, Kapar MP Manickavasagam and four relations to see the body, Jayathas said.
According to him, Manickavasagam established that the victim was still in handcuffs.
According to the autopsy result from the hospital, Sugumar died from a heart attack. Latheefa said deceased’s family has instructed their lawyers to seek a second autopsy.
But for now, Latheefa said the police must suspend all personnel involved in the assault.
“We urge the immediate suspension of all (police) involved and the arrests of those involved in the beating. This (case) must be classified as murder and an independent investigation be carried out,” she added.
Kajang district police chief Abdul Rashid Abdul Wahab declined comment when contacted. He is expected to call for a press conference tonight.
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