Man Found Dead in Cell Months Before Finishing 10-year Jail Term

He was due to be released on July 30 this year, and his family was preparing to welcome him home when they received a call on Monday morning from the Seremban Prison.

"I got a call at about 9.30am from an officer who told me that my brother had committed suicide in his cell at around 6am.

"Why would someone who had the rest of his life ahead of him kill himself after serving almost 10 years in jail?" said his brother Ravi.

Ravi, 40, claimed that Mageswaran was healthy and had been looking forward to his release.

"We last visited him on April 9 and he was cheerful.

"He did tell us that he had been threatened a few times and was being mentally tortured, but he did not want to say more for fear of repercussions in case we lodged a police report," he said.

Ravi and his siblings Mahantha­ran, 46, Putaran, 44 and Shanti, 43, lodged reports at the Seremban 2 police station here after being told of their brother's death.

Putaran questioned how Mages­waran could have gotten hold of the blanket he apparently used to hang himself because according to lawyer K. Manoharan, prisoners are not supplied with items such as towels, blankets and pillow cases to prevent them from committing suicide.

The siblings also claimed there were bruises and injury marks on Mageswaran's body.