KUALA LUMPUR: A murder suspect was among six 'mourners' who were picked up by police during A. Kugan's funeral procession yesterday.
City police chief Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman said the murder suspect was wanted in a case in Johor, while another 'mourner' was wanted in connection with several cases of car theft.
The two were involved in a scuffle with the police who had earlier asked them to disperse from the grounds of the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).
"The others were detained for obstructing police from carrying out their duties and for wearing T-shirts bearing the the name of Hindraf, a banned movement," said Sabtu, adding that among them was Hindraf coordinator R.S. Thanenthiran.
Five of the detainees were released after they had their statements recorded later in the evening.
The crowd started gathering at noon with some 100 people outside the UMMC mortuary.
A brief commotion occurred between Federal Reserve Unit personnel and the crowd when they were stopped from going into the mortuary.
About 150 police personnel, including FRU personnel, were on standby, with six FRU trucks and two water cannons stationed outside the hospital.
Police helicopters were also seen hovering above the hospital.
Among those who were allowed into the mortuary were Kugan's family members, Penang Deputy Chief Minister Prof Dr P. Ramasamy, Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo-Burne and Kugan's family lawyer N. Surendran.
The family claimed the body at 2pm and the hearse, a gold-coloured Mercedes-Benz, accompanied by a 300-strong crowd, made its way to the USJ 8 police station, where Kugan died while in detention.
According to Manikavasagam, the "stop" was to carry out a brief prayer session to "appease Kugan's soul".
The gathering outside the police station, however, was nothing more than abuses being rained on the police. Several of them were also seen carrying placards.
The crowd dispersed to the Puchong Batu 14 burial ground 15 minutes later.
Kugan's body was finally laid to rest about 5.05pm.
Gobind later told reporters that charging the culprits alone was not good enough.
"The family should be given cash compensation for the suffering they had endured."
The crowd outside the hospital before the hearse left for the cemetery.
