Death in custody of Gunasegaran Rajasundram information

Gunasegaran Rajasundram (1977 – 16 July 2008) was a Royal Malaysian Police detainee who died in the police lock-up while under arrest for suspicion of drug possession. Coincidentally, his death was on the same day as Teoh Beng Hock's body was found. The case of R. Gunasegaran is crucial to the discussion on police practices because it highlights several issues with the policing of Malaysia: the safety of whistleblowers, human rights during police custody, the procedures of inquests, and the practices of the police force. Understanding this case could bring us to find out what more could be done to better the policing system of Malaysia.^[1]

Gunasegaran worked as a toddy shop assistant. He was arrested together with other four detainees (Ravi Subramaniam, Suresh M Subbaiah and Selvach Santhiran Krishnan and one unknown Malay male). He collapsed while his thumbprint was being taken between 6.45pm and 7pm on July 16, 2008 at the Sentul police headquarters and was pronounced dead at 7.40pm at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital the same day.^[2]

His family members were later informed that Gunasegaran' death was due to drug abuse-related causes. This was substantiated with the burial permit issued by the hospital authorities. However, the deceased's family believed in another version of truth, that the death was due to police brutality instead of the reported drug abuse. Upon learning of the death, the family have since been in contact with eyewitnesses to Gunasegaran's arrest and detention by the police and have been informed that at the time of his arrest, Gunasegaran was physically assaulted; and that, at the Sentul police station, Gunasegaran was subjected to further assaults causing Gunasegaran to lose consciousness which he never regained until his death.^[3]