Corrected on 28 Jan 2009 at 11.30pm
IT was not an ordinary death, and so it was not an ordinary funeral.
A Kugan’s funeral on 28 Jan 2009 drew hundreds of people who followed his body in a procession from the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) across Petaling Jaya to Puchong Batu 14, where he was laid to rest.
In between, the procession stopped at the police station at USJ8 where he died on 20 Jan while in police custody. The family members performed prayers there before the cortege moved on.
The funeral resembled a political rally; Kugan had come to symbolise injustice by the authorities.
The 22-year old had been arrested on 15 Jan on suspicion of being involved in the theft of luxury cars but died while being questioned by the police. Police claimed he died of fluid in the lungs, but his family insisted his body showed signs of torture and demanded a second post-mortem.
His death provoked a storm of protests and the case was classified as murder by Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail on 23 Jan.
Mourners at the funeral shouted political and anti-police slogans as they accompanied his hearse, even as the sizzling heat turned into a heavy downpour as it neared the Hindu cemetery. Many mourners wore orange T-shirts of the banned Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf); six men were arrested by the police.
Despite the hostility from the crowd, police and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel only kept a close watch on the proceedings from UMMC right to the burial site. There were fewer police at the cemetery, but a police chopper kept an eagle eye on things.
By the time the procession gathered near the cemetery, the crowd had swelled to close to a thousand.
At 5.25pm, Kugan’s casket was lowered carefully into the slippery, muddy ground.
Though Kugan is finally at rest, the investigation into his death is slowly gaining momentum. 
See also: Kugan buried in Puchong
Tonton says
The wrongdoing on the part of the police is not to be condoned, by the same token this criminal shouldn’t be over glorified.
If one chose to live by sword then one would die by the sword.
nath says
The 11 criminals from Balai Polis Taipan should be suspended immediately and charged for murder. The police were quick to charge dozens for attempted murder just because a policeman was injured on his head in Batu Caves. Justice must be done for the dead soul.
artchan says
ton ton,
We shouldn’t be judge, jury and executioner.
If Kugan is guilty, let the courts pass sentence.
But look at the pictures of Kugan. I would not wish it on anyone to be interrogated by the police.
stan says
Nath, there are 11 suspected murders who would and should be given the right to fair trial and justice. You, however, have concluded that Kugan is a criminal and he would never have the chance to defend himslef.
USJ resident says
Those of us who have had our cars stolen will know the anguish, heartache and trouble one has to go through. Our first reaction to these events will be “so what if another car thief is taken off the streets? We will now be much safer. For all you know, my car could have been next.”
According to reports (don’t know how accurate they are), A Kugan led police to the recovery of quite a number of stolen cars. So, I think one can make the obvious conclusions there if the reports are true.
BUT the main point here is Kugan is STILL not a criminal until he is charged and convicted. And EVEN if he is guilty, he did not deserve such a painful death for his crimes. What he deserved if he was guilty was jail time and a chance to be rehabilitated, to be given a second chance. He was not given that.
After having said that, I also hope that he will not be placed on a pedestal and hero worshiped. Inevitably, he will become a symbol of the failures of our police force even though there are still MANY admirable features of our officers in blue. Let not his death be in vain.