Brickfields' noisy Jalan Tun Sambanthan is normally bustling with shoppers, housewives, office workers and not forgetting the visually impaired folks going about their daily routine in the busy thoroughfare of Kuala Lumpur.

Today however, the streets of Brickfields witnessed a scene of a different kind - a sombre funeral procession for the late G Francis Udayappan led by his mother G Sara Lily, family members and friends.

His remains were released this morning from the mortuary of the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), after two years of lying in wait for the conclusion of an inquest to determine its identity.

After a protracted tussle between Sara Lily and the police, who denied her claims they had assaulted the 24-year old despatch clerk, the Kuala Lumpur magistrate court Friday determined the body extracted from the Klang River in May 2004 was that of Francis.

After brief funeral rites performed outside the doors of the mortuary by Sara Lily, a convoy of cars proceeded to Francis' former work place in Brickfields where more than fifty people, led by opposition party Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders and others had gathered.

'This should not be happening'

It was here that political figures and activists spoke out in anger at the police force and demanded the setting up of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission that would investigate allegations of abuse committed by the police themselves.

"This should not be happening, but it has happened to hundreds of people. We know there are others, especially the youth from the Indian community, who get arrested by the police and die in custody," screamed PKR information chief Tian Chua into a loud hailer.

As traffic crawled slowly in front of the event and shoppers stopped their activities to witness the protest, Tian urged the public to take cognisance of the issue to prevent something similar from happening to their family members.

Referring to Sara Lily, he said most people present have or know of children they hold dearly and dread of being separated from.

"Something has to be done. Today it's Francis (that we are mourning). We don't know how many more victims of injustice there will be," he said.

No police presence was visible except for several traffic personnel who tried to manage the traffic flow.

After speeches made in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Tamil and Mandarin, the assembly turned and marched - shouting slogans against police injustice - the 200 meters to the Brickfields district police station where Francis was detained on April 14, 2004.

Finding their entry blocked by about 25 police personnel and officers who had closed the gate and refused them entry, Sara Lily performed the furneral rites in front of the gate itself, venting her fury by smashing a coconut onto the ground.

Cremated at Sentul

"You've given me back my son a clump of bones and flesh! You've returned my child as bones and flesh! Would you have this happen to your own children? Mampus kamu semua (Go to hell, all of you!)" the emotional Sara Lily charged in a veciferous voice, clearly a reflection of her two years of anguish and suffering and wanting to let it all out.

The procession then turned back to Jalan Tun Sambanthan where the march and slogan chanting continued until they reached the spot where they had first gathered, in front of KK Video Vision.

Francis' remains were cremated this afternoon at a crematorium in Bandar Baru Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, a few kilometres away from his house off Jalan Dato Senu.

Even at the last moments, malaysiakini was informed that a Special Branch officer attempted to take video footage of the cremation rites but was chased off by the Udayapan family members and friends.

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