The Coroner's Court ruled on Friday that the death of 25-year-old inmate K. Roopan at Kajang Prison three years ago was due to natural causes, with no criminal elements involved.

Coroner Rasyihah Ghazali stated that Roopan, who was serving a sentence at Kajang Prison, suffered from a blood clot in the lower left limb, leading to pulmonary thromboembolism—a condition where a blood clot travels to the lungs, contributing to his death.

The Sessions Court judge highlighted that there was no conclusive evidence regarding what specifically caused the blood clot. The court also ruled out any elements of violence or Covid-19 infection as factors in Roopan’s death. Instead, it was noted that Roopan was obese, which increased his risk of blood clot formation. "Based on witness testimony, the blood clot was not caused by any criminal violence," the coroner said.

The coroner noted that Roopan had been treated at the prison clinic for shortness of breath less than a week before his death. He was then taken to Kajang Hospital, where he received medication and oxygen support and showed signs of recovery. He was discharged three days later, and medical records indicated no leg swelling or need for further oxygen support at the time.

Upon returning to Kajang Prison, Roopan was placed in a quarantine room. A prison cellmate later found him unresponsive, and CPR was administered before he was rushed back to the hospital. Unfortunately, Roopan was pronounced dead on arrival, with hospital staff noting that his hands and feet were cold and there was no response in his pupils.

The court found that there was no negligence on the part of the hospital, as medical staff followed all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in treating Roopan.

Roopan’s death, which occurred on June 21, 2021, came just eight days before his appeal was scheduled to be heard on murder charges. He was one of two individuals arrested in connection with three murder cases from 2013. Initially, Roopan was not considered a suspect until police allegedly found his DNA at the crime scene four years later. He was sentenced in 2020 but maintained his innocence, with his appeal scheduled for June 29, 2021.

Roopan's family lawyer, Shashi Devan, stated that the family is awaiting further instructions before deciding on any follow-up action regarding the coroner's ruling.

Source / Image Credit: Sinar Harian