GEORGE TOWN: Police will summon Malaysian Tamilar Kural (MTK) president David Marshel and others to have their statements recorded, to assist in investigations into the death of M. Vasanthapiriya, who commited suicide after being accused of stealing her teacher's iPhone.
State Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Zainol Samah told newsmen there were numerous unproven statements made by several parties in connection to the case, hence the need to call them up.
He said among the unproven statements were the false initial news of the 14-year-old's death when she was still receiving treatment at the Seberang Jaya Hospital and another that the teenage girl had been stopped from going out during recess and was questioned by the teachers in a room.
When asked if David would be called in, Zainol answered in the affirmative.
"Whoever made such statements, must bear the consequences.
"We want to seek the truth as well, so whoever made the original statement must come forward and help us with the investigation," he told a press conference today.
The Form Two student from SMK Methodist Nibong Tebal had apparently been summoned by three teachers on Jan 24 and was quizzed over the disappearance of one of the teachers' iPhone at the school.
Despite her repeated denials, one of the teachers reportedly struck the student for failing to own up to the theft.
The teacher and her husband – who is a teacher from another school – allegedly threatened to lodge a police report on the matter.
The girl, however, maintained her innocence.
Both the teachers sent her home after school time and told her father, R. Muniandy, about the case. Even then, Vasanthapiriya was adamant that she did not do it.
Overcome with emotion, the girl later tried to hang herself at home the same night.
She was found unconscious but alive by Muniandy, who rushed her to hospital. She died without ever regaining consciousness on Jan 1 at the Seberang Jaya Hospital.
David, when contacted, told the New Straits Times that he was more than willing to be called by the police to assist in investigations.
He however believed that the police might have missed key incidents which led to Vasanthapiriya commiting suicide that day.
Meanwhile, Zainol confirmed that the Deputy Public Prosecutor's office had returned the investigation paper (IP) on the incident for further information.
He said that the first IP submitted was investigated under Section 309 of the Penal Code for committing suicide and responded as No Further Action (NFA).
However, when Vasanthapiriya died, the police opened a Sudden Death Report (SDR), where the case will go through an inquest process heard by corroners to check on all the 24 statements taken by the police.