The verdict came three years after his death in 2021, which was highlighted by the media after his family claimed that Ganapathy died as a result of injuries to his legs and shoulders while in police custody.

Coroner Rasyihah Ghazali found that Ganapathy, who had diabetes, died due to “necrotising fasciitis of the right lower limb complicated with sepsis” but that it could have been avoided if the lock-up personnel had taken the necessary steps to make sure the infection on Ganapathy’s wound did not spread.

“Based on the balance of probabilities, I find that the deceased died due to necrotising fasciitis.

“The serious infection from the wound was caused by the negligence and abandoning of duty by the lock-up personnel at the Selayang police station to provide the deceased with medication on time.

“They also did not take the necessary action to ensure the infection on the deceased’s wound did not spread,” she said.

She added that based on the testimonies of witnesses, the police were aware of his diabetic condition and that it was also made known to the magistrate during the remand application.

She found the deceased was not taken to the hospital every day as ordered by the court to have his wound attended to.

She said lock-up personnel should make sure that treatment and proper attention are given to detainees who have chronic ailments.

However, the court couldn’t ascertain if the deceased’s original wound was caused by the police or came from somewhere else.

Meanwhile, the family’s lawyer M Visvanathan said they would file a civil suit based on today’s verdict before April this year.

Ganapathy died at the Selayang Hospital on April 18, 2021, just over a month after he was warded. He was arrested on Feb 24 that year to facilitate an investigation into a case under Section 324 for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons.