Karuna is third death-in-custody victim in 11 days

Engineer P Karuna Nithi has become the third person to die in police custody in less than two weeks. The family was informed of his death in Tampin last night.

Karuna's family was informed by telephone at 9.45pm yesterday that he had "suddenly died" about 7pm at the Tampin district police headquarters, former Kapar MP S Manivasagam said today.

Manivasagam, who accompanied the family to Hospital Tuanku Jaafar in Seremban this morning, said the family found injuries on Karuna's body.

"Only two persons were allowed to see the body. I was not allowed as I am not a family member, so I told the family to check the body.

"The family was not allowed to move the body but there was blood on the tray where the body was placed," Manivasagam (left) told Malaysiakini when contacted.

Karuna's brother P Ilam said when contacted that he saw bruises on Karuna's arms and blood on his head.

"He was bleeding from the back of his head and there were bruises on his left and right arms.

"The doctor said something may have happened to him in the lock-up but we are not sure what," he said.

Close to 1pm today, Manivasagam said the post-mortem was still going on and the family would claim the body later today.

"The family will take the body for special prayers tomorrow, outside the police station where Karuna was killed," he said, adding that they will also lodge a police report.

According to Manivasagam, Karuna had gone to see his estranged wife about their two children and an a scuffle took place.

Karuna later went to lodge a police report on the incident, but was instead arrested by police and remanded for three days.

He was on May 31 charged in the magistrate's court in Tampin with "causing hurt".

"At that time, the family members were there and they said he was in good health when in court," said Manivasagam.

Karuna was to be out on bail tomorrow

Karuna was granted bail at RM4,000 but was unable to immediately raise the sum.

The family had plan to post bail on Monday but were instead informed of his death last night.

"I call Home Minister Zahid Hamidi to take immediate action. Karuna was a well-educated person, an engineer who had no previous criminal record. It was just a small family dispute.

"Don't let this be another Dhamendran case where those responsible were put on desk duty.

"This is double-standard. When police commit murder they get desk duty but when anybody else is accused of this, they get charged," said Manivasagam.

Jobless man R Jamesh Ramesh, 40, was found dead in a police station lock-up in Penang on May 26. Police said he died of liver failure.

On May 21, N Dhamendran, 31, was found dead after being remanded at the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters. Police said he died of breathing difficulties.

However, the case was classified as murder after a post-mortem found the body to have been tortured.

The full autopsy report released yesterday revealed Dhamendran suffered 52 injuries, ranging from his body parts being stapled, rattan-like marks throughout his body and even an incomplete number "8" mark on his hip.