KUALA LUMPUR – The family of a 34-year-old Indian man who passed away while in police custody in Penang are demanding an investigation into the circumstances of the incident and how they were not informed.
It is understood that the deceased, Kumar Selvadurai, was detained by police at the Kepala Batas district police headquarters on December 10 last year over suspicion of theft.
In a police report filed today by his younger brother Thines Selvadurai, the family claims that they were only informed of Kumar’s death yesterday – 53 days after it happened.
Further, the family was informed that Kumar’s body was handed over to an unnamed non-governmental organisation because none of the deceased’s family members came to claim him.
According to activist and councillor with the Seberang Perai City Council David Marshel, Kumar was arrested on December 10 and passed away en route to Seberang Jaya Hospital after suffering a seizure.
“Thines was aware of the arrest and went to the Butterworth police station to find out more.
“He was told to go to the Kepala Batas police headquarters, and he saw Kumar there,” David said when contacted.
According to David, Thines was then told to go to the magistrates’ court the next day for Kumar’s remand hearing.
However, Kumar was nowhere to be seen in the court complex.
When Thines returned to Kepala Batas police station, he was informed that his brother was transferred to the Seberang Perai prison in Jawi.
But upon making queries there, the detention centre informed Thines that they had no record of Kumar’s detention, David alleged.
He added that the family was only informed yesterday of Kumar’s death, when Thines went to the Butterworth police station to file a missing persons report.
He then lodged a police report demanding an investigation into Kumar’s suspicious death.
A Penang police spokesman declined to comment. – The Vibes, February 5, 2022
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