The Malaysian Insight

ANOTHER family is crying foul after a detainee died in custody at the Gombak district police headquarters today.

Sivabalan Subramaniam, a 43-year-old security guard, was picked up by police from his workplace in Bandar Baru Selayang this morning for investigations into an extortion case.

Gombak district police chief Arifai Tarawe said in a statement this evening that Sivabalan was brought to the district police headquarters at 11.40am, after which he complained of breathing difficulties.

Police called for an ambulance and medical officers tried to revive Sivabalan, who was pronounced dead at 12.30pm.

Arifai said initial investigations revealed the deceased had a history of heart problems.

“The case has been classified as sudden death and we are now waiting for the post-mortem results,” Arifai said, adding that Sivabalan had two previous police cases.

Sivabalan’s family members were at the Gombak police station tonight, where they questioned how he could have died about an hour after he was taken away by police.

They are seeking an investigation into his death.

Family lawyer Ganesh Kanagaretnam said it was strange that another death in custody had occurred less than a month after cow milk trader A. Ganapathy also died while in custody of Gombak police.

He was arrested on February 24 to assist in investigations into his sibling’s alleged crimes. He was said to have spent 12 days in police custody before being admitted to the hospital.

Ganapathy succumbed to his injuries on April 18 after spending over a month at the hospital’s intensive care unit. – May 20, 2021.