Dad hopes inquest will clear Vasantha Piriya’s name
GEORGE TOWN: R. Muniandy hopes the inquest into his daughter M. Vasantha Piriya’s death will reveal the truth and bring justice to her.
“I am at a loss. Anyone can say whatever they want about her; she is not alive to defend herself,” the 54-year-old said.
“I hope through this inquest there will be justice and her name will be cleared of the accusation,” he said yesterday.
Muniandy said he would cooperate fully with the Coroner’s Court. “I will attend the inquest and testify if they need me to do so.
“I still cannot sleep at night and think of her everyday. My wife has told me to accept her passing but I cannot. I am glad there is an inquest into her death,” he said.
Sessions judge Norsalha Hamzah, who acted as the coroner here yesterday, set May 24 and 25 for the inquest into the 14-year-old student’s death.
She was accused of stealing her teacher’s handphone.
Lawyer V. Parthipan, who held a watching brief for the teacher, earlier requested for all the documents that would be used during the inquest to be given to him under Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code.
DPP J.G. Kaameni conducted the inquest.
National Union of the Teaching Profession president Kamarozaman Abd Razak, who attended the inquest, advised the public against making accusations or jumping to conclusions.
Earlier, Penang police chief Comm Datuk A. Thaiveegan was reported as saying that some 30 witnesses would be called in to testify.
On Jan 24, a teacher was reported to have accused and reprimanded Vasantha Piriya of stealing her handphone at the school before sending her home later.
After arriving home, Muniandy went out again to meet with the teacher to discuss the matter.
The Form Two girl was found unconscious in her room when he returned. The father broke down the door when his calls went unanswered.
The SMK Methodist student was rushed to the nearby Sungai Bakap Hospital before being transferred to Seberang Jaya Hospital, where she passed away on Feb 1 after being in a coma for seven days.