The family of the man who died in police custody yesterday has lodged a police report urging for a second post-mortem and an independent investigation on his death.
"The report lodged by the brother today basically says that they're not satisfied (with the post-mortem)... they saw the (beating) marks.
"Therefore they want an independent police investigation to be carried out in this matter, for action to be taken against all police officers who were involved and also for a second post mortem to be allowed," said the family's lawyer N Surendran.
The report was lodged at the South Klang police district headquarters today.
S Balamurugan, 44, had reportedly died in custody at the North Klang district police station yesterday.
This is despite a magistrate ordering for him to be released or taken to a hospital immediately after he was brought to court with his face severely bleeding, said Balamurugan's lawyer Gerard Lazarus.
"I've never seen a case in which a magistrate orders for release but the police don't do so, and now he's dead.
"So this is a very serious matter and I think both the inspector-general of police and the Home Minister (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) have got to answer the public: what happened in this case and why was the magistrate orders not properly complied with?" said Surendran, who Padang Serai MP.
Wife in tears
Gerard said after the magistrate's order, he was told by an inspector there were orders to not comply with the magistrate's orders.
A day after that, the family received news from the police that he had died and his body had been brought to Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang hospital.
Balamurugan's younger brother, S Balraj, was brought to identify the body and said he was shocked to see dried blood all over his brother's face and that he was not allowed to take a picture.
The family later learned from the pathologist that Balamurugan's cause of death was possibly from heart failure.
They have refused to claim the body until a second post-mortem is performed.
Balraj lodged the report today, accompanied by Balamurugan's wife and daughter.
Other family members and friends were also present, along with Klang MP Charles Santiago.
The wife, Natthanan Yoochomsook, 38, could not hold back her tears throughout the press conference.
"I just want my husband back," she said, crying.
According to Gerard, who also lodged a police report today, Balamurugan was arrested on Monday after he was found in the same car with two other men, one of whom was wanted by the police.
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