THE death of 30-year-old M. Vijian on February 15 has raised serious concerns, coming less than a month after allegations of a violent incident at the Batu Gajah prison in Perak, which left 62-year-old Gan Chin Eng dead and several others injured.
Vijian’s family is now demanding a full investigation into his death, which they believe may be linked to mistreatment while incarcerated.
News portal Twentytwo13 reported today that Vijian, a labourer, was transferred from the Batu Gajah Correctional Facility to Taiping Prison on January 16, just a day before an alleged incident where over 100 inmates, including Gan, were reportedly beaten by prison wardens.
The family's suspicions regarding Vijian’s treatment have grown, especially after the initial official explanation of his death seemed inconsistent and raised more questions than answers.
Initially, the family was informed that Vijian had succumbed to tuberculosis, but upon further examination, they were told that he also had two broken ribs.
A police report was subsequently filed at the Batu Gajah police station on the matter.
M. Indran, Vijian’s brother, recounted the events following the troubling call his mother, S. Mariamah, received from Taiping Hospital on January 24.
The hospital informed the family that Vijian was in critical condition and had been rushed to the emergency ward.
"We rushed to the hospital, and when we arrived, the doctor on duty said my brother had tuberculosis. A prison warden at the hospital told us that my brother had fainted and vomited while having breakfast at Taiping Prison earlier that day," said Indran.
Another warden informed the family that had they arrived by 2pm, they might have had a chance to speak with Vijian before his condition worsened.
Despite the claims of a sudden tuberculosis infection, Indran expressed skepticism, especially given that his brother was in good health prior to his incarceration.
Indran’s elder sister, Cecilia Joseph, also shared her concerns about the inconsistencies in the reports provided by the medical staff.
During a visit to the hospital on January 26, Cecilia learned that Vijian had to be intubated due to breathing difficulties.
"I questioned how it was possible for my brother to suddenly contract tuberculosis, as he was healthy before being sent to prison. The doctor said it was common for prisoners to contract tuberculosis. A prison warden at the hospital told me he had also contracted the disease in the past," Twentytwo13 reported Cecilia recalling.
"But when I asked him if his condition was similar to my brother’s, he said it wasn’t."
Cecilia also reported that the family was informed by the hospital that Vijian’s kidneys and lungs had been severely affected by the infection, leading to the need for dialysis.
Initially, the family was hopeful as they thought his condition was improving. However, on February 13, they were informed that Vijian’s condition had worsened significantly.
Despite the medical efforts, Vijian passed away on February 15 at 9:10 am.
Given the unusual circumstances surrounding his death and the family's prior knowledge of the alleged violent incident at Batu Gajah prison, Cecilia demanded a post-mortem.
"We’ve heard reports about over 100 inmates being allegedly beaten by more than 60 wardens, and we are convinced that something went wrong with my brother’s treatment. We just want to know the truth," she said.
The family’s request for a post-mortem comes amid growing concerns over allegations of misconduct and abuse in the prison system.
The mysterious circumstances surrounding Vijian's death have prompted further scrutiny of prison practices, with the family determined to uncover the truth behind their loved one’s sudden decline in health and eventual death.
"We requested for Vijian's post-mortem to be conducted at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh instead of Taiping Hospital, and our request was granted."
Cecilia said while the family was still waiting for the post-mortem report, she claimed the forensic specialist at the hospital informed them that Vijian had a minor infection in his kidney and two broken ribs.
"A Dr Tan Lii Jye told us that the ribs had been broken between three and four weeks ago, and it was due to being beaten," she said.
"My brother died just one month after entering Taiping Prison. His court case for his alleged drug-related offence was set for March 23-24. Now he is no longer with us. What actually happened to my brother? How did he die? There must be answers. No one from Taiping Hospital had informed us that he had suffered broken ribs.
"They told us during our visits that many X-rays of Vijian had been taken, but not once were we informed of his broken ribs. Why was this information concealed from the family? We want the truth," she said as reported by Twentytwo13.
On Jan 25, Twentytwo13 reported that Gan had allegedly died from an abdominal injury due to blunt trauma.
Gan's family, including his 19-year-old son, are still in the dark as to what happened to him, as authorities, including the Home Ministry and police, have yet to make public the outcome of the investigation.
Gan's son had previously claimed that the authorities were not honest with the family. The 19-year-old said prison authorities never told them that Gan had been beaten. Instead, they were told that his death could have been due to heart disease. – February 21, 2025
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