The family of a 38-year-old Indian national who died in custody at the Gombak district police headquarters in Selangor is demanding answers over what actually happened and the alleged injuries on his body.
The New Straits Times reported that K Veeramani, from Tiruchuli village in India, arrived in Malaysia in March before he was arrested on May 2, along with two other men, identified as T Satish and M Murugesan, over an alleged scam attempt.
Veeramani, who was said to be working as a fortune teller, died on the fifth day of his detention in the Gombak police lock-up.
Veeramani’s nephew, Arun Selvaraj, reportedly said the family was devastated upon learning of his death and insisted his uncle was healthy before his arrest.
“When he left India, he was completely healthy.
“He had no illness, medical problems, or complaints about his health. We spoke to him before he travelled to Malaysia, and everything was normal,” he said.
Arun said the family was traumatised after identifying Veeramani’s body at the mortuary, reportedly claiming there were visible injuries on it.
“We saw injuries on his body when we went to identify him. That image will never leave our minds. We want to know what really happened to him while he was in custody,” he said.
“He came to Malaysia to work and support his family. Now we are receiving his body instead. His three daughters are waiting for their father to return home, but he is returning lifeless,” he was quoted as saying.
He added that the family is now making arrangements to bring Veeramani’s body back to India for funeral rites.
The police have yet to issue an official statement on the case but NST quoted sources close to the investigation who said the probe has since been taken over by the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department’s Classified Crime Investigation Unit.
Held despite disputed identification
It was reported that Veeramani, accused of carrying out a scam, was initially apprehended by a man in Rawang while carrying out fortune-telling activities.
He was handed over to the police before officers raided a house in Sentul and arrested two other men, aged 29 and 49, believed to be his accomplices.
All three were subsequently taken to the Gombak district police headquarters for investigation and remanded.
The English daily quoted sources who claimed that a complainant who lodged a report over a jewellery scam was later called to participate in an identification parade.
However, the complainant allegedly informed investigators that the trio were not the individuals involved in the case, but the three men remained in custody for further investigation.
Family says no notification of death
Meanwhile, Arun claimed the family had engaged a lawyer on May 7 to check on the three detainees, but the lawyer only managed to visit the police headquarters on May 11 due to prior commitments.
“It was only when the lawyer arrived at the police station that he learned my uncle had already died and his body had been sent to the mortuary. Nobody informed the family about his death.
“We kept waiting for updates and believed he was still alive. We cannot accept that the family was not even informed about his death,” he was quoted as saying.
Arun also alleged that the two surviving detainees were assaulted while in custody, with one purportedly suffering a broken arm.
According to NST, Satish and Murugesan were charged in court on May 11 under the Immigration Act 1959/63 for allegedly failing to possess valid travel documents. - Mkini
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