KUALA LUMPUR: A POST-MORTEM on fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim’s body revealed additional fractures on his ribcage, which were previously not visible on X-ray.
The New Straits Times was made to understand that Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH) forensics experts made this discovery during the more than three-hour autopsy, which ended about 5am yesterday.
It is understood that the cause of death has been generally attributed to “injuries to the chest”.
The 24-year-old was among a group of nine firefighters, who responded to a distress call after two cars were set ablaze by rioters during a free-for-all at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ25 in Subang Jaya, on Nov 27.
They had rushed there in a fire engine, with an emergency medical services vehicle, following closely behind.
It was reported that the moment the team arrived at the scene, a group, which had gathered near the temple, began attacking the vehicles, forcing the fire engine to beat a hasty retreat from the area.
The crowd turned onto the emergency medical services vehicle, which Adib was in. It was reported that Adib was allegedly dragged out of the vehicle and assaulted by the rioters.
His colleagues, who realised Adib was missing only after they arrived at their station, tried to reach him via phone, but the call was answered by a civilian who said that he had been taken to hospital by a passer-by.
Adib, the first firefighter to have been attacked in the line of duty, fought for his life for 21 days before succumbing to his injuries at 9.41pm on Monday.
Doctors, in the initial days of his admittance to the National Heart Institute, had said Adib suffered from broken ribs, punctured lungs and bruises to his chest and abdomen.
Meanwhile, KLH’s National Institute of Forensic Medicine director Datuk Dr Mohd Shah Mahmood, when contacted by the NST, said a full post-mortem was critical in the case of Adib’s death, more so when it had been reclassified as murder.
“A post-mortem like this focuses on the examination of injuries in detail, including photographic evidence.
“A report that will be prepared details the type of injuries he suffered, including internal ones, and what could have caused them; including if they were inflicted by a third party, as well as expert opinions on how they could have happened.”
Dr Mohd Shah said a comprehensive post-mortem would reduce the likelihood of Adib’s grave being dug up in the future for another autopsy.
