Malaysian Indian lawyer knifed to death

KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian Indian lawyer was slashed to death by two masked men outside his home in Ipoh, the capital of Perak state, a media report said Thursday.

The two men are believed to have trailed G. Balasundram from his office Tuesday evening and attacked him just as he reached home, The Star reported.

He sustained 17 slash wounds to his abdomen and his thighs.

Balasundram, who specialised in civil cases, was sent to a hospital by a neighbour who witnessed the incident.

Police ruled out robbery as Balasundram’s belongings were not taken, the report said.

The duo attacked Balasundram with knives, said Mohammed Dzuraidi Ibrahim, a police officer.

Balasundram is survived by wife G. Puspalatha, 46, and five-year-old son Somaskanthar.

Perak Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) chairman S. Veerasingam said the attack was “senseless”. “The life of a good man has been snuffed out,” he said.

Former Malaysian Bar president S. Theivanthiran said Balasundram had started out from humble beginnings, working as a canteen helper to put himself through law school.

He said Balasundram had been involved in several controversial cases, one of which was to represent a 10-year-old boy from Kampar who was allegedly tortured by police while in custody for apparently stealing from his teacher.

Balasundram, he added, was also a legal adviser to ethnic Indian lawmaker D. Jeyakumar.