A 7KM police chase from Batu Caves to Batu Arang ended in a shoot-out and three suspected robbers killed.

A fourth person, a woman named Moganambal Govindasamy, is missing.

The dead were Moganambal’s husband, Janarthan Vijayaratnam, who was of Sri Lankan origin but a permanent resident of Malaysia; Moganambal’s brother, Thavaselvan; and, a friend, Maghendran Santhirasegaran.

While police are sticking to their version of events, that the trio shot were fleeing from officers, the family members might have a different story to tell.

Police, under the different political circumstances of today, must wake up to the idea that the repetition of the old narrative “there was a chase, the robbers shot at police, and police returned fire, resulting in their deaths” is not acceptable.

The public must know exactly what happened in the aforementioned incident.

One of the relatives had said the bodies would not be claimed unless police could account for the missing woman.

Too many incidents of police shoot-outs resulting in the deaths of suspected robbers have not gone beyond officers’ testimonies.

Other than the version provided by the force, there was no alternative interpretations as to how the so-called “robbers” met their fate.

Testimonies from family members have been drowned, as thought they are biased and covered up the wrongdoings of their dead kin.

To date, in the cases of fatal police shoot-outs, no serious inquiries have been held seeking police accountability, and to determine whether the shootings were justified in the first place.

Meanwhile, despite the assurances of the new inspector-general of police, there is no qualitative change in the manner of police operations nationwide. Human lives are being lost.

Even with the emergence of a new government and the promise of institutional reform, some members of the police force are acting with impunity.

Deaths in custody, deaths resulting from police shoot-outs, as well as other abuses emanating from the uniformed personnel, are against the public interest. The Batu Arang killings are not the first, and certainly, not the last.

It is important for the government to initiate a full inquiry into what had really happened.

Were those shot dead really robbers, or merely suspects? What happened to Moganambal? Why would a UK citizen, Janarthan, who was on a short visit to Malaysia, be engaged in a robbery? – September 17, 2019.

* Ramasamy Palanisamy reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.