A 33-year-old police detainee died seven hours after he was arrested on suspicion of breaking into a neighbour's house in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. His burial permit claims it was a heart attack but S Manimaran's wife cries murder.

According to the burial permit issued by the Seremban Hospital, the detainee was pronounced dead at 8.15 am on March 10. The cause of death was attributed to Ischaemic heart disease (reduced blood supply to the heart).

"I believe my husband was beaten to death while in police custody by the policemen who arrested him.

"They are fully responsible for my husband's cold blooded murder in view of the injuries found on his body," said the deceased's wife Lechemy Arumugam in a police report lodged at the Jalan Travers police station in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Manimaran, a rubber tapper, who also hails from Rembau, was arrested at 1am on March 10 together with his 16-year-old stepson and two brothers-in-law over the house break-in incident.

They were then taken to the Rembau police station for questioning.

'Never been seriously ill'

In her police report, a copy of which was made available to malaysiakini , Lechemy said her husband had never been seriously ill or hospitalised before and that their family has no history of heart disease.

The 35-year-old housewife, who is pregnant with her fifth child, added that she is extremely concerned about her 16-year-old son who still remains in detention.

"My son and two brothers were also subjected to police beatings and torture. I ask they be immediately released or charged in court.

"I fear they may be forced to admit to crimes they never committed," she said in the report.

Lechemy also claimed that her son had told her of hearing Manimaran scream in pain from his cell, the day he died. Photographs of the body also revealed several bruise marks unrelated to the post-mortem procedure ( photo ).

'Sack the IGP'

Met today, Police Watch and Human Rights Committee (PWHRC) chairperson RN Rajah said he hopes the prime minister will not turn a blind eye to this particular case.

"I hope the government is not all talk. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should demand an immediate report on the case from the inspector general of police (IGP) and take action against the police where necessary, while putting a stop to deaths in custody," he added

Rajah, who was visibly upset by the case, also called on the premier to immediately sack IGP Mohd Bakri Omar.

"Who is going to support the family now? A healthy non-criminal is now dead. Seeing his children was extremely disheartening. I can't believe there are still new cases of deaths in police custody," he said.

Manimaran leaves behind a total of 10 children between the ages of three and 16 from two marriages.

Meanwhile, the family's lawyers have filed an application with the Seremban High Court calling for the revision of the remand order on the remaining trio in custody.

Rembau district police chief Mazlan Othman could not be reached for comment.

In recent years, numerous cases of dead police detainees - primarily Malaysian Indian males - have surfaced. However, the numbers reduced after the occurrences were publicised and the police taken to task for its suspected role in the deaths.

As a result, judicial reviews were undertaken and a Royal Police Commission was established to enhance the operations and conduct of the department.