"I [N Surendran] have been allowed to view Dharmendran's body with lawyer Latheefa Koya and the family members of the deceased after the pathologist had allowed us to view it at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) mortuary."
"There were physical evidence of beatings and torture to the front of his thighs, and at the back of his body, there were beating marks on his back (severe to the point that) it had swelled up.
"The ears are stapled and there are staples left intact, which could be (clearly) seen on the ears. - Death in Police Custody - N Dharmendran (21 May 2013?)
There is really no reason whatsoever to beat up suspects. As of 2007, whatever confessions or things that are told by the suspect to the police cannot be used in cases to ensure conviction of the suspects. So why beat up suspects? There has just been too many deaths in police custody.
Death In Police Custody
A report by Bernama is attached below but I am not sure whether it is about N Dharmendran or a different case. For more about the Dharmendra case, visit MADPET Blog or just follow this link Death in Police Custody - N Dharmendran (21 May 2013?)
Things have moved on and it has been classified as 'murder'Man dies after breathing difficulties at lock-up
A man died after complaining of breathing difficulties while being detained at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters lock-up in Kuala Lumpur last night.
In the 9pm incident, the man had complained of chest pains before being brought to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, said City CID chief Ku Chin Wah.
He said the 32-year-old man was one of four suspects arrested in connection with a shooting case in Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras on May 11.
“A post-mortem will be done at HKL,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
In other developments, Ku said police had been given an extension on the remand till Monday on the second suspect held in connection with the murder of Customs deputy director-general (Customs/ Internal Tax) Shaharuddin Ibrahim.
He said police needed more time to wrap up investigations.
Shaharuddin was shot dead while on his way to work in Putrajaya in April 26.
- Bernama - Malaysiakini, 22/5/2013, Man dies after breathing difficulties at lock-up
Autopsy done, ‘evidence points to murder’
The preliminary post-mortem findings reveal that N Dharmendran died of multiple blunt force trauma.PETALING JAYA: The preliminary post-mortem conducted at Hospital Kuala Lumpur has revealed that police detainee N Darmindran had died to severe blunt force trauma.
HKL pathologist Dr Siew Sheue Feng’s report, which was given to the deceased’s family last night, ruled out heart attack or asthma as the cause of death as claimed by the police.Darmindran, 32, an Indah Water employee, had been in police detention since May 11.Lawyer G Sivamalar, who accompanied the family to retrieve the post-mortem report, said that the pathologist had struck out all natural causes.“So far, the evidence points to murder, at least that would be a fair claim.“Now it’s all up to the investigating officer at Dang Wangi police station ASP Kamarul Rizal to give the final verdict,” she said.“The police can’t use the excuse that the injuries were caused during the fight Darmindran was involved in on May 11 as the pathologist confirmed that the injuries were ‘fresh’,” she added.After speaking to the pathologist, Sivamalar also said that Darmindran’s back and buttocks were also severely injured along with another two staples found on his legs.“The pathologist said that that his back and buttocks were severely injured, also his thighs and legs were badly swollen due to injuries,” said Sivamalar.“On top of that, they found another two staples – one on each ankle. Four staples were found on the body of the deceased, including the two on his ears,” she added.Mock funeral at IPK KLSivamalar said that the family was willing to fight till the end in order to seek justice for Darmindran.“The family is staying strong, they want the police to be honest and for once provide justice for the people,” she said.“They want Darmindran’s case to be the last of its kind and hoped that police brutality would cease for good,” she added.The family’s lawyers, who include PKR MP for Padang Serai, N Surendran and PKR lawyer Latheefa Koya would discuss further with the family of Darmindran on their next plan of action.The funeral would be held today at Darmindran’s residence in Taman Mulia, Bandar Tun Razak in Cheras.The family would also be holding a mock funeral outside the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters, where the deceased was detained.Following the post-mortem report, the police have reclassified the probe as a murder investigation. - FMT News, 23/5/2013, Autopsy done, ‘evidence points to murder’
Sunday May 26, 2013
Leave no stone unturned in latest death in lock-up case
The Star Says
THE new IGP surely isn't having it easy. Just days into his appointment, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has had his hands full dealing with Opposition rallies, arrests of people for sedition and cracking down on gun violence.
But perhaps the most difficult and sensitive matter before him is the death of yet another police detainee.
Although police initially said N. Dharmendran died from “breathing difficulties”, a post-mortem revealed he died from “multiple blunt force trauma”. Bluntly put, he was most likely beaten to death and the case has swiftly been reclassified as murder.
City police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohmad Salleh also announced the setting up of a task force to investigate.
So far, the police have responded to this new crisis quite well. Perhaps they have learned from the public relations nightmare involving the 2009 death of A. Kugan in the Subang Jaya police station.
In that case, public anger was fanned by conflicting reports from two post-mortems on the cause of death of the suspected car thief. But photos of Kugan's body with incriminating wounds and bruises went viral, leading to widespread belief of police brutality. Eventually, police constable V. Navindran was charged and convicted of causing hurt to Kugan.
Navindran subsequently claimed he was made the scapegoat. Through the whole messy case, the police image took a severe beating as accusations of cover-up and brutality and torture being commonplace in lock-ups swirled.
Kugan's death at the hands of the police remains an angry, sore point with the public, especially the Indian community. If Dharmendran's death is not handled properly and satisfactorily, it could explode with similarly nasty consequences.
Dharmendran, 32, was detained on May 12 along with three others after they were suspected to have been involved in a shooting case in Bandar Tun Razak two weeks earlier.
DCP Mohamad, while saying Dharmendran might have been murdered while in custody at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters, declined to elaborate on the nature of the deceased's injuries.
He also urged the public not to speculate and to allow the police time to conduct a full investigation.
The problem is people will speculate as long as police continue to withhold information like the deceased's injuries. It has already been widely reported that there were signs of bruises and staple marks on his body.
Granted, the police have promised to investigate, but it is perhaps better for an independent body to do so. This will give the public confidence that there is transparency and no cover-up.
What Khalid must also do immediately is to review the protocol on how detainees are interrogated and treated. Again, how this is conducted will also affect public perception of the force.
It may also be timely for him to consider supporting the implementation of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission as proposed by the royal commission of inquiry in the police in 2007.
A young father has been murdered. His family and the public are demanding answers. No stone must be left unturned, even if it means revealing ugly truths, so that Dharmendran's murderers can be brought to justice and safeguards are in place to prevent custody deaths from happening again.- Star, 26/5/2013, Leave no stone unturned in latest death in lock-up case
But, I believe, still no police officer has been arrested.....only saw reports about the wife being called in for investigations...Tell us how many witnesses have been investigated. What has happened to the suspected police personnel? Have they been suspended at the very least?
Now, if the victim was tortured to death by the police, then we hope that criminal action [not some disciplinary action] be taken against all the police officers involved in physically torturing the victim, all police officers that 'knew about it' and did nothing - for they should also be punished as 'accomplices'.
The Officer in Charge of the said police station, if he is a person of honour, should immediately tender his resignation for his gross failings as OIC that has resulted in the torture and 'murder' of a suspect...What do you think?
Have the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and/or the IGP visited the family of Dharmendran to extend at the very least their condolence - for after all the death happened in the custody of the police...or they have just not bothered.
The SUHAKAM also cannot act - because there are no Human Rights Commissioners since April 25th...that is if one is wondering why SUHAKAM has not made a statement with regard this case....
- Charles Hector
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