GEORGE TOWN: R. Muniandy’s hopes for closure with regards his daughter, M. Vasanthapiriya’s death after she was accused of stealing her teacher’s iPhone, was dashed today when he failed to get the answers he has been waiting for.
The 54-year-old said the family was not at all happy with the findings of the Coroner’s Court upon the completion of the inquest, held to determine the circumstances that led to his daughter’s death.
Earlier today, the Coroner’s Court ruled that the 14-year-old’s cause of death was suicide from hanging. Coroner Norsalha Hamzah also ruled that there was no criminal element in the death of the Form Two student of SMK Methodist Nibong Tebal.
“Everyone who has been following the case from the beginning already knows her death was from suicide. There is no need for us to be told the same thing again by the court today.
“What we really want to know is the circumstances that led to her taking her own life. What are the behind-the-scenes stories? We want to know what really happened in school that fateful day.
“Really, we are not happy at all with the inquest proceedings. It has been a waste of time. At the end of the day, we did not get the closure we wanted. It seems that we have been waiting in vain for nothing and will continue to wait in vain,” he told the NSTP.
Muniandy said he would certainly bring the matter to the High Court until he gets the answers.
It was reported that Vasanthapiriya had died in the Seberang Jaya Hospital following an attempt to hang herself, after she was accused of stealing her teacher’s iPhone in January.
She had vehemently denied the accusation and penned a note proclaiming her innocence.
She hanged herself in her home and was found by her father, who rushed the unconscious girl to the Seberang Jaya Hospital. She died on Feb 1.
Vasanthapiriya’s death sparked a huge outcry, with her family, relatives and the public demanding that justice be served.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Tamilar Kural president David Marshel, who has been with the family since the beginning in demanding justice, said those who testified in the course of the inquest had only tried to raise that “something was not right” in Vasanthapiriya’s home.
“But there was nothing on the total scenario at the school.
“To compound matters, our lawyer, appointed to hold a watching brief, was also not allowed to cross-examine the witnesses.
“Also, why wasn’t a crucial witness like Vasanthapiriya’s father called to testify? According to her uncle’s police report, she girl was beaten but there was no statment made on that at all?” he asked.
David said a press conference will be called tomorrow to discuss the family’s next course of action.