Bukit Aman: Post-mortem finds external injuries in Cheras custodial death, cause of death pending lab analysis

In a recent post-mortem examination, a 42-year-old man who died while in police custody was found to have multiple external injuries, but his internal organs showed no damage, federal investigators announced on October 24. The official cause of death remains undetermined and is being held for "pending laboratory analysis" as pathologists await toxicology and histology results from the Chemistry Department.

This came after civil society groups, particularly Lawyers for Liberty, demanded that the case be treated as homicide due to the visible physical trauma observed on the deceased's body. The case is now being led by Bukit Aman's Criminal Investigation and Deaths in Custody Unit, which has interviewed 78 individuals, including police officers, hospital doctors, forensic specialists, legal aid representatives, eyewitnesses, and family members.

The man was initially arrested on September 19 on suspicion of drug possession, housebreaking, and theft, and was transferred to Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM on September 30 for emergency treatment before dying at 1:52 AM on October 1. The Kuala Lumpur police chief stated that the detainee had been treated in accordance with standard operating procedures before his sudden illness.

Police affirmed that they will not compromise on potential operational misconduct or excessive force, urging the public to refrain from unverified online speculation while forensic experts complete their analysis.