SHAH ALAM: A forensic specialist told the coroner's court that the late firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim sustained his injuries during two distinct sequences.
Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi of Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) said based on a reconstruction of the incident outside the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya, Adib had exited "voluntarily" from the front left-side passenger door of the Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) van that he arrived in.
He said Adib exited the vehicle amidst a commotion in which a mob had charged towards the van and a fire rescue tender (FRT) truck.
He said based on the reconstruction of the incident, which was done by the police with the aid of HKL's forensic department, this led Adib sustaining a horizontal-shaped scratch along the lower left-side rear of his abdomen.
Dr Hafizam explained further about the injuries when answering questions from lawyer Syazlin Mansor, who is representing the Housing and Local Government Ministry and the Fire and Rescue Department.
Syazlin: Based on the pattern of injuries, and the reconstruction that was done, can you tell us what were the sequences of Adib's injuries?
Dr Hafizam: The sequence is as follows. The horizontal scar on the lower left-side of his back was due to him alighting the EMRS amidst the commotion. This led to his back grazing with the plate structure (of the left-side front door).
After that, the victim was standing with his back facing the door. The EMRS moved (in reverse) suddenly and it caused the edge of the front left-side door to hit the victim with a strong impact. This broke the victim's first to seventh left ribs and broke the internal cortex as well.
This caused the victim to hurl forward, and his right chest and right arm hit an object which was hard, blunt and wide.
The victim fell with his right knee hitting this hard object, and his left elbow hitting this same hard object too. This caused the scratches on his left elbow and right knee.
Syazlin: What medical evidence are these injury sequences based on?
Dr Hafizam: The sequences are based on findings when the reconstruction was done.
Earlier, the forensic specialist disagreed with a suggestion that Adib may have been stuck between the van's front door and its frame as the vehicle reversed.
He said such a situation would have resulted in a more severe pattern of injuries compared to what Adib sustained.
He also stressed that injuries sustained by Adib occurred during a "non-ideal" situation as there was a commotion due to the mob attack.
"It happened during a commotion when people were scurrying about.. there may have been no time for him to stop because of the differing situations," said Dr Hafizam.
It was claimed that Adib, 24, died from severe injuries sustained after being allegedly assaulted by rioters at the temple on Nov 27 last year.
He was part of an emergency response team dispatched to the scene to battle a vehicle which had been torched.
Despite showing signs of recovery while being treated at the National Heart Institute (IJN), Adib died on Dec 17.