Eliminating Deaths and Abuse in Custody Together (EDICT) said the inquiry could help determine the cause of death and identify the perpetrator or perpetrators, if any.

Relatives claimed that A Ganapathy was beaten by police while in detention to facilitate investigations into a sibling who was wanted by police. He had succumbed to his injuries on March 8 after spending over a month at the Selayang Hospital’s intensive care unit.

His sister, Thangamalar, 41, said the cause of death was not yet known and an autopsy would be conducted today.

The family claimed that Ganapathy’s health deteriorated while in police custody and that his leg was swollen and bruised which suggested that he had been beaten.

In a statement today, EDICT urged the Attorney-General’s Chambers to hold an inquest into Ganapathy’s death, saying it was empowered to do so under Section 339 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

It said the incident had left many questions unanswered.

“What happened during the detention period and did the police take reasonable action to ensure that the detainee received proper treatment?

“Is there a gap in the action of the police after finding that the detainee was injured?” it asked.

EDICT also said police brutality in custody cases must stop immediately.

“The culture of violence and the abuse tactics to force suspects to confess is inappropriate if the police carry out their duties and investigations properly and completely,” it said.