A detainee at the Klang Selatan district police headquarters had died while in police custody today, just one day after he was arrested, according to the family’s lawyer M Manoharan.
He said there was something “definitely not right” in the circumstances surrounding 36-year-old Umar Faruq bin Abdullah @ Hemanathan’s death and he plans to file a suit against the police and the government over the matter.
In a statement today, Manoharan said he was informed by Umar’s widow Humairah Abdullah @ Kannagi, 25, that five police officers broke into her home in Kuala Selangor yesterday to arrest Umar.
The arrest occurred between 4pm and 5pm that day.
At 10am today, Humairah purportedly received a call from the police to bring food to her husband as he had not eaten for a long time.
“Upon reaching the Klang Selatan District Police Station, she was told to wait.
“She waited and waited until one policeman told her at about 3.30 pm that her husband had passed away allegedly while in the custody of Klang Selatan District Police Station.
“She was shocked and cried uncontrollably. She then contacted me for legal advice,” he said in a statement today.
Manoharan said the police had told Humairah that Umar had fallen to his death.
“She couldn’t believe this. She says her husband loves his children so much. (It is) impossible for her husband to die leaving all his loved ones behind just like that,” he said, adding that the couple has three children aged from six months to five years.
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Meanwhile, the case’s investigating officer supposedly told Manoharan that the Klang magistrate had granted a four day remand order against Umar today, and that Umar had attempted to escape.
“I suspect something is not right here. Definitely not right.
“I hold the police responsible and accountable for Umar Faruq’s death. I am going to file a suit against the police and the government of Malaysia for causing the death of Umar Faruq
“The inspector-general of police must answer to this continuous death of human beings while under police custody,” he said.
When contacted, Selangor police chief Arjunaidi Mohamed told Malaysiakini that a team from the Selangor police contingent is investigating the case and he would issue a statement on Umar’s death tomorrow.
Umar’s death is only the latest of allegations of police brutality and custodial death in Klang Selatan district police headquarters.
In 2017, G Ganeshwaran died in hospital after complaining of medical problems during interrogation at the Klang Selatan police district headquarters.
The family claimed Ganeshwaran had said he had been kicked in the throat before losing consciousness, but police said there were no elements of foul play as there were no signs of external injuries.
In 2019, an 18-year-old teenager and a 24-year-old with mental disabilities were supposedly tortured by the police at the same district headquarters to extract a confession on several motorcycle theft cases.
The duo were also being held under the Prevention of Crime Act 1959, which allows for detention without trial.
Police had pledged to investigate the allegation. - Mkini
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