The parents of a 19-year-old boy have filed a million-ringgit suit against the police and government for the death of their son, shot by the police exactly three years ago.

G Vesvanathan and K Thenmoli said they have lodged numerous police reports and sent letters to those responsible seeking an explanation over the shooting of their son but to no avail.

In their suit filed at the High Court Registry at Wisma Denmark in Kuala Lumpur today, they named as defendants, among others, former Inspector-General of Police Bakri Omar, current IGP Musa Hassan, former federal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Salleh Mohamad Som, the deputy internal security minister and the Malaysian government.

According to the parents' affidavit, their son V Vikines was on his way from Kuala Lumpur to Nilai on Oct 10, 2003 to deliver Deepavalli decorative statues together with two friends, S Puvaneswaran and T Kathiraven when they were shot dead by a team from the police Special Operations Force (UTK).

At that time he was an STPM student earning RM950 as a clerk to support his family.

Vikines and his two friends were found later that day in their car, dead from gunshot wounds with three pistols nearby. Police say their Proton Wira, which was parked in a secluded area in Nilai, had been reported stolen from Johor Baru.

No bullet holes

The police had also announced at a press conference later that they had acted in self-defence during a shootout with the three deceased youths. It was alleged that the boys had planned to commit a robbery but fled after police gave chase.

Vikines' parents, however, claim that no bullet holes were found on the youths' t-shirts indicating their killing may not have taken place during a shootout. They also point out the bullet entry wounds on the bodies were from the front which contradicts then Federal CID Director Mohd Som's claim that the youths were shot while running away from the police.

As to the contention of a shootout, the parents in their affidavit say there were no bullet holes to be found on the police cars involved in the chase besides there being no eyewitnesses to the event.

Inquiries into the shooting have been raised by among others by the non-governmental organisation Police Watch and Human Rights Committee and several law firms but to date the police have not responded.

Vesvanathan and Thenmoli said the defendants have not given a single explanation as to why their son and his friends were not arrested and brought in for questioning but were instead gunned down immediately.

The parents are claiming the RM1million for general and special damages resulting from bereavement and loss.