N9 Cops: 'No foul play' in new death in custody case

A 43-year-old man died in a lock-up yesterday evening at the Tampin police station amidst public scrutiny over deaths in custody.

Negeri Sembilan police chief Datuk Osman Salleh confirmed the case but declined to give further details aside from what has been reported.

However, he said that preliminary investigations showed no signs of foul play and police have classified the case as “sudden death”.

“The post mortem report is not yet out so I can’t comment further. We have classified the case as sudden death, there is no foul play,” Osman told Astro Awani. He added that he would be holding a press conference on the matter later this afternoon.

Earlier, New Straits Times reported that P. Karuna Nithi was discovered unconscious by policemen on duty around 6.30pm.

Police reportedly called for an ambulance from Tampin Hospital, but paramedics pronounced Karuna dead when they arrived at the scene.

Karuna was apparently arrested last Monday after he allegedly hit his wife on the head with a helmet in Taman Muhibbah, Gemencheh Negeri Sembilan.

He was charged at the Tampin magistrate's court on Friday under Section 324 of the Penal Code for causing hurt by dangerous means.

He was supposed to be sent to the Sungai Udang prison in Malacca on remand the same day he was charged in court, but the order was delayed until Monday.