Opposition MPs want answers from the home minister and inspector-general of police for the death of P.Karuna Nithi, who died in police custody on June 1, after he had surrendered for hitting his wife.
Padang Serai MP N.Surendran told reporters at the Parliament lobby that the post mortem report revealed that the deceased had 61 injuries on his body, but the cause of death was listed as “fatty change in liver”.
“There can be no dispute that he was severely tortured and beaten in police custody. Yet the cause of death can be listed as this.
“And until today, no police officer has been arrested or charged,” he said.
Karuna’s brother, mother and sister-in-law were present at the Parliament lobby today, and made an impassioned plea for justice, saying that the police did not give them access to CCTV recordings, despite repeated requests.
Subang MP R.Sivarasa said Karuna was arrested on May 28 and looked well when his family visited him at the Tampin lock-up the next day.
He also appeared well when he was brought to the magistrate’s court two days later, which was a Friday, he said.
His brother, P. Elam Sezhian said that the following day, at about 9.45pm, he got a call saying Karuna had died earlier at 6.30pm.
“When we went to the police station, they were laughing when they told us that he was not beaten by anyone,” said S.Manimegalai, Karuna’s sister-in-law.
Sivarasa said the home minister, IGP and attorney-general were covering up a serious crime.
Including Karuna, there have been eight deaths in police custody this year.
Among the most prominent case was that of N. Dharmendra 32, who died in Kuala Lumpur on May 21.
Three policemen were charged with his death while a fourth is still at large.
Sepang MP Hanipa Maidin said there was an urgent need for the setting up of the IPCMC.
“These deaths will keep on recurring if we do not address the problem soon. The government should stop being so stubborn about not wanting the IPCMC,” he said.
The Malaysian Insider