The police failed to act on about 20 police reports lodged regarding the abusive behaviour of a security guard suspected of murdering his three children, claimed his wife T Krishnamma's family.

According to Bernama , T Janaki, 41, said the reports were filed by her 38-year-old sister and other family members.

In Saturday's incident, the 46-year-old suspect was said to have strangled Utakumar, 6, Keseprada, 5 and Arini, 3, with his bare hands at their house in Kulai, Johor.

The man then attempted to hang himself and his 14-year-old daughter from another marriage, but the latter's screams alerted the neighbours who rescued them.

The suspect, who fell into a coma, is being treated at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital while the daughter has been placed under the care of the Welfare Department.

Meanwhile, Janaki produced police reports made at the Port Klang police station in August and September when met by reporters at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital mortuary yesterday.

'Nothing more left for me'

Krishnamma, who was also at the hospital, said she left her house, two weeks ago, as she was unable to stand the abuse. She had informed her children that she would return to take them with her.

"I fled because my husband was abusive. And my children begged me to take them with me," the distraught mother was quoted as saying in one news report today.

"I left the house very late at night, but I promised them that I would return once I had found a house for us," she added.

On Saturday, Krishnamma said she went to the Kulai police station to lodge another report against her husband and urge the police to save her children.

"... but (I) was told that all my three children had died a few hours earlier," she was quoted as saying by Bernama.

The inconsolable mother, who said she would never forgive herself for being unable to save her children, also denied media reports that she was having an affair.

"I do not have anything left in this world," she lamented.

According to the News Straits Times , the children's uncle T Ganisan, 46, said the suspect had always abused his wife but had never laid a finger on his children before.

"He was never drunk, at least in front of us and we are shocked that he would resort to killing his children, " he added.

He said Krishnamma had run away from home many times but had always returned because of the children.

Another report, quoting police sources, said a statement has been recorded from the suspect's daughter, who has been remanded for three days since Sunday.

The bodies of the three deceased children were buried at the Hindu cemetery along the Johor Baru-Air Hitam road yesterday.