Three custodial deaths have occurred in first three months of 2014 and this has further raised NGO Suara Rakyat Malaysia’s (Suaram) concerns.

Suaram coordinator R Thevarajan said the latest death of Ramasamy Nagu on March 1 at the Bayan Baru police station in Penang, occurred at a centralised lock-up that was established in order to prevent deaths in custody.

:The sophisticated centre was believed to be built to reduce incidents of custodial deaths. Unfortunately, the death of Ramasamy has proven otherwise," he added in a statement.

The previous two deaths occurred in February with A Punniyanathan found dead at the Nibong Tebal police station, also in Penang, on Feb 10, and J Kulanthangam found dead at the Dang Wangi police station in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 18.

Thevarajan also criticised Barat Daya district police chief Lai Fa Hin for describing Ramasamy as a drug addict in reasoning the latter’s death.

"Portraying Ramasamy as a hardcore addict does not absolve the duty of the police to ensure the well being of those held under their custody," he said.

"It is also unprofessional for the OCPD (Lai) to assert that there were no elements of crime involved in the death of Ramasamy even before an inquest is conducted.

"It is the job of the magistrate to determine the actual cause of death and not the police themselves," he added.

Suaram reiterated its call for an independent body to investigate the police’s conduct, while demanding for an inquest into Ramasamy’s death.

Thevarajan also said that Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi must make good on his promise to establish a coroner’s court back in June 2013.