Detainee was kicked and punched, inquiry told

PUTRAJAYA: A police lock-up detainee told an Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) inquiry that custodial death victim S. Balamurugan was kicked in the chest, slapped and punched in the abdomen by a police officer during interrogation at the Klang Utara district police station.

Detainee K. Tamilasan claimed that Klang Utara district police station’s Insp T. Mohaneswaran had also warned Balamurugan that in the station, Mohaneswaran was the “head”.

“Outside, you’re the head but inside here I am the head,” Tamilasan related to the commission during the inquiry.

Tamilasan was arrested with Balamurugan and juvenile Ang Tian Kok by the Klang Utara district police motorcycle patrol unit on Feb 6 as the vehicle they were in at the time was suspected to have been used in a robbery.

“Ang and I were also beaten by the officers at the station. They used a bamboo stick to hit my feet and a hose on my back.

“The beatings happened on and off for half-an-hour during which they asked us questions and hit us,” Tamilasan said.

The EAIC continued its inquiry yesterday into the death in custody of Balamurugan during the early hours of Feb 8 at the Klang Utara district police station.

The hearing was to identify whether there was any misconduct by police personnel as stated under Section 24 of the EAIC Act 2009 in handling the detainee.

A total of 55 witnesses are expected to be called to provide their statement or account of the incident. The hearing is being chaired by EAIC chairman Datuk Yaacob Md Sam with several commission members.

The inquiry continues today.