[dayclaccikere]

Thursday November 18, 2010

Ipoh lawyer slashed to death

By SYLVIA LOOI and CHAN LI LEEN
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

IPOH: A lawyer was slashed to death by two masked men outside his Desa Rishah home. In the 5pm incident on Tuesday, the two men are believed to have trailed G. Balasundram, 57, from his office and attacked him just as he reached his home.



Inconsolable: Relatives waiting to claim Balasundram’s (inset) body outside the hospital mortuary in Ipoh yesterday.

He sustained 17 slash wounds to his abdomen and his thighs. Balasundram, who specialised in civil cases, was sent to Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun for treatment by a neighbour who witnessed the incident. Robbery has been ruled out as Balasundram’s belongings were not taken.

State CID chief Senior Asst Comm (II) Datuk Mohd Dzuraidi Ibrahim said the duo attacked Balasundram with Rambo knives. “He died at 9.30pm after being treated at the hospital’s intensive care unit,” he said, adding that police were investigating the motive of the attack.

When met at the mortuary yesterday, Balasundram’s sister G. Kamala, 58, said the last time Balasundram spoke to the family was at 3pm on the day of the fatal attack. “He called my mother to inform her that he was returning to her Pasir Pinji home,” she said, adding that Balasundram was the only son among six children. Balasundram leaves behind wife G. Puspalatha, 46, and five-year-old son Somaskanthar.

Perak MIC chairman Datuk S. Veerasingam said the attack was “senseless”, adding that “the life of a good man has been snuffed out”. Former Malaysian Bar president S. Theivanthiran said Balasundram had started out from humble beginnings, working as a canteen helper to put himself through law school. “He was a friendly fellow and that is why everyone is in shock,” said Theivanthiran.

He added that Balasundram had been involved in several controversial cases, one of which was to represent a 10-year-old boy from Kampar who was allegedly tortured by police while in custody for apparently stealing from his teacher. Balasundram, he added, was also a legal adviser to Sungai Siput MP Dr D. Jeyakumar.

“He was an ardent supporter of Dr Jeyakumar and acted on behalf of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) in several cases,” Theivanthiran said. PSM deputy chairman M. Saraswathy said Balasundram’s death was a loss to the party and to blue-collared workers. “He had been representing us in several cases since 1995 on a pro bono basis,” she added.

[Jourgenz]

Published: Monday November 22, 2010 MYT 6:12:00 PM

Six men remanded over lawyer's murder

IPOH: Police have detained six men, aged between 21 and 30, in connection with the murder of a lawyer here last Tuesday. Perak police chief Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah said the men were arrested Monday at a hotel in Menglembu, here, at 3.45am.

Police have obtained a seven-day remand order on the men following an application to Magistrate Mohamad Nasrudin Mohamed, he added. In the Nov 16 incident, 57-year-old lawyer G. Balasunderam had just gotten out of his car in front of his home in Taman Desa Rishah, Buntong, when he was assaulted by two masked men armed with knives.

Balasunderam, who was actively involved in politics with the Socialist Party of Malaysia, sustained serious injuries and died at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital at 9pm the same day. The state police, with the help from the Bukit Aman Police Headquarters, have set up a special team to investigate the case. - Bernama