Families push for inquests into three deaths that occurred while in custody

Representing the relatives of three men who died while in police or prison custody, M Visvanathan of Eliminating Deaths and Abuse in Custody Together announced a press conference urging the Attorney-General’s Chambers to apply Section 339 of the Criminal Procedure Code to compel coroners to conduct inquests. The families have written repeatedly to relevant authorities and coroners’ courts without receiving a response. R Richard, 34, who had schizophrenia, was arrested in August 2025 and later found unconscious at Sungai Buloh prison; his sister says forensic reports showed internal injuries but no external wounds.

G Murthy, also reported to have a mental health condition, died in March 2025 at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, with his family claiming they were never informed of his arrest and questioning his medical care. MM Muniandy, detained over a domestic-violence case at Kajang prison, died in April after a post-mortem revealed blunt-force trauma to his neck that caused airway inflammation and required a tracheostomy. Visvanathan urged coroners to obtain all investigation papers from the authorities to enable thorough inquests into each death.