Punjab-origin student found dead in Malaysia
Chandigarh, June 28 -- An Indian-origin university student, Maniishapriet Kaur Akhara (20), who hailed from Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, was found dead in her condominium unit in the Sepang district of Selangor on June 24, with injuries on her body, according to the local media.
The murder has sent shockwaves across Malaysia, sparking widespread calls for justice and better safety from students, politicians and members of the public. Three suspects, a man and two women, were arrested on June 26 in connection with the death of Kaur, a physiotherapy student from the University of Cyberjaya.
Police obtained a seven-day remand order against the trio, aged between 19 and 20, until July 3 at the Sepang sessions court on Friday morning.
The victim had been staying at Mutiara Ville, a shared unit provided by the university located about 1.5km away from the main building, according to Free Malaysia Today.
She was living with five other students but they had returned home for the holidays on Jun 21, leaving her alone at the condominium used as a hostel as she was scheduled to sit for an upcoming examination, according to The Star.
She was found unconscious by a friend at around 10am on June 24 and pronounced dead shortly after police officers arrived at the scene.
Sepang police chief Norhizam Bahaman said on Thursday that her death was due to blunt force trauma to the head, with the case being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
"We hope the public will not speculate on the case or share unverified news that could jeopardise the investigation . We will take stern action on any unlawful act," Norhizam said on Friday, as quoted by The Star.
The University of Cyberjaya has come under intense scrutiny, as the tragedy raised concerns about the safety of students at private institutions of higher learning, with many using the hashtag "#justiceformaniisha".
The incident has also garnered reactions from politicians, some of whom urged action on better student security.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the murder and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
"The loss of a young woman who was on the path of academic pursuit and a bright future is a truly heartbreaking tragedy," she said.
Still reeling from the murder of Kaur, her family is now facing another tragedy after the sudden death of a relative.
"I don't know how to respond. We're still devastated from Maniisha's death, and now we've lost another family member," said her uncle, Datuk Rajpal Singh, when contacted following the arrest of three suspects linked to his niece's murder....
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