The family of a 35-year-old Penang man who died in police custody are demanding answers to why the cops did not inform them of his death in due time.

According to a Free Malaysia Today (FMT) report, Kumar Selvadurai was last seen by his family on Dec 10 last year - the day he was picked up for theft with two others, but they only learned of his death some 53 days later.

Kumar's brother saw him in the lock up at the Kepala Batas police station, being surrounded by policemen, but he was subsequently told to leave the premises. He was asked to turn up at the court the following day, but Kumar was a no-show.

The family later learned that the two others arrested together with Kumar had been freed, but their attempts to find out his whereabouts were futile.

On Feb 4, they lodged a missing person's report, only to be told by the police that Kumar had died on Dec 13.

Seberang Perai city councillor P David Marshel, who's helping the deceased's family seek answers, said that they were told by the police that Kumar was rushed to the Kepala Batas Hospital for suspected seizure a day after his arrest, before being transferred to the Seberang Perai Hospital, where he later died of a heart attack.

David said that at the point when Kumar was brought to the hospital, the police have already let Kumar off on bail.

He then questioned why the deceased's body was handed to an unnamed NGO to be "processed" when his family is still around.

"There are a few questions here. Why did the police release him while he was being warded?

"And where is Kumar's body now? His mother has been pleading with the police to return his body to give Kumar his final rites," David told the portal, further questioning why it took the cops more than 50 days to inform the deceased's family of the incident.

"Did he really get a seizure or was there something else?"

Kumar's younger brother Thines, 27, has since lodged a police report urging an investigation to be carried out into the circumstances surrounding his brother's death.


Source: FMT
Photo source: FMT, The Vibes