SHAH ALAM: Fireman Mohd Adib Mohd Kassim could have been beaten during a fracas at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Nov 27, the coroner’s court was told today.
Witness R. Naresh, a Malaysia Civil Defence Force (APM) volunteer, who was present during the disturbance, told the inquest into Adib’s death that he had noticed something that resembled a shoe print on Adib’s body near his rib cage.
Naresh said he examined Adib’s condition when they were at the back of a vehicle which transported them to the Subang Jaya Medical Centre. He said Adib’s uniform had been removed and he was only wearing his pants.
“While I was with him to the hospital, I noticed thick lines on his rib cage,“ said Narresh, who went to Adib’s aid on that fateful night.
“There was also redness in the area where the lines were, which led me to believe that he was bleeding internally. On further inspection of the area, it resembled a shoe print.”
When DPP Hamdan Hamzah asked him whether it was bruising on the skin or dust that caused the footprint, Narresh said it was dust and sand.
“As I was checking the right side of his rib cage, I saw the dusty footprint. Without thinking twice I wiped the dust away to inspect the area which was getting redder and bruised,“ he said.
Earlier, Narresh said that when he arrived at the site of the fracas, no help was given to Adib who was unconscious despite being surrounded by people
“Everyone wanted to take pictures and videos only. I told them I was a Civil Defence volunteer and went to see him,“ he said.
Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin also turned up on the sixth day of the inquest. She said she was present to hear the witnesses’ statements.
Adib was hospitalised for three weeks, and had succumbed to his injuries despite regaining consciousness and showing signs of recovery, he died on Dec 17 due to lung failure.
