Mother shocked son in ICU after a month in jail

A mother is shocked her son, who entered prison a healthy man, has been hospitalised after under a month in incarceration.

Prisoner Chandran Muniandy was admitted to the ICU unit of Seberang Jaya government hospital on Feb 8 for serious head and leg injuries.

Chandran is an odd-job contract labourer from Kampung Sungei Jawi, Penang.

According to his mother, Pachae Pakiry, her son was healthy when he went into prison on Jan 20.

She was informed by prison officials that her son has been admitted to hospital less than a month later.

Pachae lodged a police report in Seberang Jaya on Feb 11 and a copy of the report was sighted by Malaysiakini.

Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy said he visited Chandran at approximately 9pm yesterday.

"I am shocked to see the injuries that had been inflicted on him; during my visit which lasted about 30 minutes, he was not conscious," Ramasamy told Malaysiakini.

"I was able to see the injuries on his head, and his toes looked bloody with missing toe nails.

"The injuries on his feet, particularly the missing toe nails, gave an appearance that these were not self-inflicted but as a result of application of considerable external force," Ramasamy said

'Wounds not self-inflicted'

According to Ramasamy, Chandran was sentenced to a six-month jail term by a Penang Magistrate's Court for a criminal offence.

After serving nearly one month, he is expected to be released in May, Ramasamy said.

"Whether Chandran will be able to regain consciousness and return to a healthy life remains to be seen.

"It would take considerable effort on the part of doctors and nurses to bring him back to his normal life," added the DAP Prai assemblyperson.

Ramasamy said it would be incorrect to assume that deaths or serious assaults only take place under police custody.

These can also take place in prisons of Malaysia, he claimed.

Ramasamy said he has informed Penang police chief Commissioner Chuah Ghee Lye about the matter.

"He has replied to me saying that the police would open an inquiry on the matter as soon as possible," Ramasamy said.

He has also informed Yacob Md Sam, the chairperson of the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), a body that investigates and recommends action against those responsible for deaths and assaults in custody.

"He has promised to act fast on this matter," Ramasamy said.

Malaysiakini is awaiting a police response on Ramasamy's claims.

All images courtesy of P Ramasamy. -Mkini

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