The family of a British resident shot dead by police in Malaysia has demanded answers, as his wife remains missing. Janarthanan Vijayaratnam, a 40-year-old Sri Lankan national and UK resident, was killed alongside two Malaysian men in an apparent car chase and shootout on 14 September in Selangor state.
Police claim the three men ignored an order to pull over, sparking a 4-mile chase, and that officers acted in self-defence after one of the men opened fire. However, the family disputes this account. Human rights lawyer Ponnusamy Uthayakumar, representing the family, described the police statement as a 'standard operating storyline', noting that all three victims were shot in the chest or head, which he said was consistent with an execution.
Family friend Suresh Kumar questioned how all three could be shot in the chest during a car chase, and noted that the car they were found in, a red Volkswagen Polo, was unknown to the family. He also said police initially mentioned a fourth person at the scene who escaped, but later denied this. The family suspects this fourth person may have been Vijayaratnam's wife, Moganambal Govindasamy, who has been missing since the incident.
Moganambal's sister said she shared a GPS location via WhatsApp at 1.38am on 14 September, something she had never done before, leading the family to believe she was in danger. At the location, they found a rented white Perodua Alza, which the four had driven to dinner. Kumar claimed police did not forensically investigate the vehicle.
Vijayaratnam, who lived in Portsmouth with his wife and three children, had been in Malaysia since 27 August. The youngest child, aged five, holds a British passport. The UK Foreign Office said it is providing assistance to the family. The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia is investigating whether there has been an 'abuse of power' by police.
