Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has stepped in to deal with the controversial death of security guard C Sugumar, who was allegedly beaten by police officers, by urging the Health Ministry to send the forensic report to the cabinet.

According the mStar Online, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai was instructed to do so after the matter was brought up at this week's cabinet meeting by MIC president G Palanivel.

Witnesses have claimed that Sugumar, said to be mentally disturbed, was chased by several police officers on the evening of Jan 23, before he was handcuffed, had turmeric powder smeared on his face and was subsequently beaten to death.

Following the initial post-mortem, police, however, claimed the deceased had died from a heart attack.

Selangor police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah had called for an inquest, which was approved by the attorney-general.

This was however rejected by Sugumar's family members - they are demanding a second post-mortem and for the police to reclassify the case as murder.

Meanwhile, MIC director of strategy S Vell Paari said the party will assist Sugumar's family to appoint an independent pathologist who will conduct a second post-mortem.

"We (MIC) want to discuss with them (Sugumar's family) as we do not want them to accuse us of hiding anything," he told the news site.

The party had handed over a memorandum to the home minister requesting a special commission to be set up to probe the death.