KUALA LUMPUR – Police have reported two more deaths in custody, this time involving a 50-year-old man held at Jasin District headquarters in Melaka and a 42-year-old male suspect detained in Penang.
The death of the 50-year-old on Sunday, June 26, and the 42-year-old the following day, comes barely a week after a similar incident was reported in Shah Alam.
In a statement, Bukit Aman Corporate Communications Chief Skandaguru Anandan said the 50-year-old suspect, who was held for drug offences, had fallen unconscious at the lockup in Jasin at about 12pm on June 23.
He said the elder suspect was rushed to the Jasin hospital for immediate treatment before being transferred to the Melaka hospital.
Skandaguru said the 50-year-old, who was arrested on June 17 and under Section 3(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act and the Special Preventive Measures Act 1985, had fainted on June 26, and was confirmed dead by medical officers at 1.24am in Melaka Hospital.
“A post-mortem carried out in the Melaka Hospital the same day found no traces of physical injury,” he said.
“The death was determined to be caused by bleeding duodenal ulcer (bleeding in the small intestine).”
On the second death, Skandaguru said the 42-year-old male suspect arrested in Penang on June 22, had complained of stomach pains at about 1.30pm on June 24 and was sent to the Sg Bakap Hospital in Penang for preliminary treatment.
The suspect, who was detained under Section 39B and Section 15 of the Dangerous Drugs Act, was subsequently transferred to the Seberang Jaya Hospital in Penang for further treatment the same day.
However, he said medical officers had confirmed the suspect’s death at 1.54am on June 27, while the autopsy conducted the same day also revealed no physical injuries.
“The cause of death was due to massive upper gastrointestinal bleed with multiple organ failure and metabolic acidosis secondary to occult sepsis,” Skandaguru said.
He added that the investigations into the incidences are being carried out by the Criminal Investigations and Death in Custody Unit, along with Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standard Compliance Department.
Last week, Shah Alam police chief Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim said a 39-year-old man died when undergoing treatment five days following his arrest.
The deceased, who was apprehended on June 15 for alleged involvement with narcotics under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, was brought to the Shah Alam centralised lockup.
“The detainee had tried to hang himself while in the centralised lockup but was rescued and later sent to Shah Alam Hospital to receive treatment.”
He said the detainee who began receiving treatment the same day he was arrested was pronounced dead by medical officers on June 20 at 5.40pm.
“The cause of death is yet to be established.” – The Vibes, June 30, 2022
