Chief Justice Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah was today urged to call for a public inquest into the deaths of three youths who died while under police detention in the last three months.

Families had claimed that the three youths S Tharma Rajen, 19, M Ragupathy and Vivashanu Pillai, both aged 24 had died under mysterious circumstances.

A total of 27 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and political parties, accompanied by family members of the three youths, submitted a letter to Dzaiddin at the Kuala Lumpur Federal Court this morning calling for an inquest to determine the cause of their death.

High Court registrar Zabidin Mat Diah received the letter on Dzaiddin's behalf. He also promised to convey the other verbal requests made by the group to the CJ.

About 60 people gathered in front of the court building to show their support. Both uniformed and plainclothes police personnel were deployed there.

The NGOs and political parties included Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) Aliran, Amnesty International Malaysia, Keadilan, PRM, Jemaah Islah Malaysia (JIM), Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia, Human Rights Society of Malaysia (Hakam) and SOS Selangor.

In the letter, the group said an inquest was necessary as the deaths were tainted by allegations of police brutality and misuse of power. The inquest will also ensure that justice was served.

Public interest

"This case is very serious and is of public interest as these deaths had occurred within a short period of six weeks," they said in the letter.

They will also be submitting copies of the letter to Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim.

Suaram spokesperson S Arutchelvam said the group felt that Dzaiddin must take the matter seriously to avoid any more deaths involving police detainees.

"Two months ago we sent a similar request to the Chief Justice involving another victim who died in police detention but we did not receive any reply. Since then, two more deaths have occurred. This is alarming and must be stopped," he told the media after submitting the letter.

He added that they have requested that Dzaiddin reply to their application within two weeks.

PRM Youth vice-chief Jonson Chong said he informed Zabidin that an inquest must be conducted because a constitutional right to life and liberty has been breached and justice must be served to the victims and their families.

Nothing to fear

Keadilan vice-president Dr Xavier Jayakumar said the onus is on the police to prove that no foul play was involved in the three deaths. He added that the police should have no reason to object to the public inquest.

"I don't see why a public inquest should not be conducted. If the police were not wrong and have nothing to hide, then they have nothing to fear," he said.

JIM vice-president Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said that the deaths must be investigated to ensure that detainees were treated humanely by the police.

Lawyer P Uthayakumar who represented Vivashanu's family reiterated his clients' contention that the police had murdered their son before disposing of the body into the Klang river.

"How can we believe their claim that he escaped from police detention before he was found dead? Why didn't the police give chase? Why didn't the police search the houses of his parents, relatives and friends? All these gave rise to suspicions," said Uthayakumar.

The family had lodged a police report on Aug 13 alleging that Vivashanu, a food stall operator, died from beatings inflicted by the police while on remand for snatch theft.

His mother K Letchumy, 47, claimed that the highly decomposed body found in the Klang river on Aug 4 was that of her son who was arrested at his uncle's house in Jalan Ipoh on Aug 1 but whom police alleged had escaped two days later.

Police have yet to identify the body but said that DNA samples have been taken from it for verification.

The other two youths Tharmarajen and Ragupathy died while under detention at the Putrajaya police station on June 21 and July 28 respectively.

Both families claimed that the duo died under mysterious circumstances and called for the police to quickly conduct investigations and bring about justice.