KLANG: When T. Murugan's relatives and friends read the newspapers yesterday, they were shocked to learn he was part of a robbery gang and had been shot dead by police.

But when they went to his house in Bukit Tinggi here, expecting a funeral, they were even more shocked.

The 27-year-old was alive and well.

Murugan had lost his identity card in a robbery in February. It was this card which was found on the body of one of four armed robbery gang members shot dead in Shah Alam on Tuesday.

The dead robber actually had two cards on him and police could not establish his identity at the time.
Murugan said he was at a clinic where his pregnant wife was having a check-up when his brother called his mobile phone to tell him that his picture had been splashed in local newspapers as a member of a robbery gang shot dead by police.

"I was shocked, as were my friends and relatives who turned up at my house for the 'funeral'. The most shocking thing was that I was said to have been involved in a robbery gang. I don't have any criminal record," he said.

Murugan said he had lost his identity card in a robbery and had since replaced it.

Showing his new card, Murugan said police should have ascertained the true identity of the man who was holding his stolen card before releasing his name and picture to the media.

Accompanied by Kapar member of parliament S. Manikavasagam and lawyer N. Surendran, Murugan later lodged a report at the district police headquarters.

In his report, he demanded an open apology from the police due to their actions in releasing his name as it had defamed him and his family.

Manikavasagam said police should have been thorough in their investigations and could have compared the face of the dead man with the photo in the identity card.

Surendran said the case showed gross incompetence on the part of police.

"This is also gross negligence as they have embarrassed him and his family."

He said he would be initiating a defamation suit against the Selangor police chief and the government.

State Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner II Hasnan Hassan, however, blamed the media for publishing the photo.

"We had not positively identified the suspect and the papers had published his photo."

In Tuesday's incident, police had lain in wait for the robbers, said to be the new Mamak Gang, after receiving a tip-off that they would hit a petrol station in Shah Alam.

When they were challenged, the gang members fired several shots at police, prompting a return of fire which killed four men in a car. Two other gang members in another car managed to escape.