The family of two men who died in a police shootout are demanding that police publish footage from their dashboard cameras (dash cam) to set the record straight as to what happened.
At a press conference today, the kin of G Thavaselvan and V Janarthanan disputed the police’s version of events of the Sept 14 shooting which took place in Batu Arang, Rawang.
They were represented by their new lawyers P Uthayakumar and M Manoharan, who were appointed yesterday.
“If the Selangor police chief (Noor Azam Jamaludin) said that they have nothing to hide and the Criminal Investigation Department chief (Adnan Azizon) said they got nothing (to hide), make public the car dash cam.
“It will show whether they (the police) shot first, (whether) these people shot back and whether (Janarthanan’s wife) G Moganambal was there, there is the clear-cut evidence [...]
“Berani kerana benar, takut kerana salah (you will be brave if you are right but be afraid if you are in the wrong) [...] the dash cam, they have it in the police cars, so where is the dash cam?” asked Uthayakumar.
If the footage revealed that the police did not have sufficient grounds to shoot to kill, the lawyer pressed for those responsible to be prosecuted.
According to Selangor police, the two men along with a third male, S Mahendran, had been involved in an armed robbery and were all killed during an exchange of fire. Police said that they found two guns, three machetes and face masks in their vehicle.
Moganambal was not killed in the shootout and is now missing. Mahendran was not represented today.
The family today stood by their counter-claim that Thavaselvan, Janarthanan and Moganambal had gone out for dinner in Serdang before they were “kidnapped” and shot by the police in Rawang.
'Media not fair’
Selangor police further described Thavaselvan as being a triad member who had 23 criminal records and was wanted for a robbery when he was shot.
They also said he was a former Simpang Renggam prison inmate detained under the Emergency Ordinance 1969 and the Prevention of Crime Act 2014 (Poca).
Asked during the press conference to respond to this characterisation of Thavaselvan, Uthayakumar in turn accused the media of helping the police “divert” the issue.
“This is a diversion by the police; even (if) he got hundred cases under his name, the police have got no right to shoot to kill... no right.
“[...] You are helping the police, the police strategy is to divert,” the lawyer said, adding that Thavaselvan’s wife Jasminder Kaur was not aware if he had any criminal convictions.
When the same question was directed at Jasminder, Uthayakumar again accused the media of helping the police.
“Why are you diverting? [...] You are being pro-police!” he said, to which journalists explained they were merely trying to ask a question and not taking sides.
Uthayakumar maintained that the media had not been fair in reporting this case by highlighting Thavaselvan’s past convictions.
Even if her husband did have a record, Jasminder questioned why he was shot dead by the police.
“His past criminal (record) has got nothing to do (with this). You guys can catch him under Poca... don’t care but why was he shot to death?
“[...] My husband is dead, I want to know what is the reason” she said. - Mkini
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