SHAH ALAM: Fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim told a fire chief that he was forcibly pulled out of the Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) van.
And he was subsequently assaulted with weapons during the Seafield Mahamariamman temple riots.
However, he did not remember the object that he was struck with, the inquest into his death was told today.
Subang Jaya fire chief Syed Shahril Anuar Sulaiman testified that during his visit with Adib on Dec 12 at the National Heart Institute (IJN), he had prepared 15 questions.
He had asked the fireman to answer them.
“During this time, he could already respond and write. He even showed me a thumbs up when I asked him if he remembered me,“ said Shahril.
“So I decided to ask him several more questions on my own accord.”
Sharil said that he presented Adib with a set of questions that were printed and the fireman had replied to most of it.
Among the questions given and answered were:
>> Did the rioters try to open the door when the van was backing up? (He nodded and marked yes).; did you try to stop the door from being opened? (He ticked yes) and did they manage to open your side of the EMRS van? (He answered yes).
>> Were you pulled out of the van? (He marked yes); did they hit you with weapons? (He ticked yes)
Earlier, a witness – Nassaruddin Abdullah – told the inquest that among the things that he saw was a mob of 30 people standing in a circle.
“They were moving as though they were swinging punches, and kicking towards something in the centre on the ground. This happened for about a minute. Then I heard someone scream ‘police’ and then the crowd dispersed and ran towards the temple,“ said Nassaruddin.
Adib was part of a fire-fighting team that had responded to a fire incident at the temple where rioters were protesting.
During the riot, he sustained severe injuries and he was hospitalised for three weeks, before succumbing to his injuries on Dec 17.
During the inquest, it was revealed that Adib’s death was due to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and multiple organ failure.
An inquest into his death was commissioned as there were no conclusive findings on how Adib was wounded during the riots.
