Prominent Indian lawyer dies after knife attack

Nov 18, 2010 |

Kuala Lumpur

Tags:

Indian lawyer

A prominent ethnic Indian lawyer was knifed to death by two masked men in front of his house in the nearby town of Ipoh, media reports said on Thursday. G. Balasundaram, 57 received 17 slash wounds on his abdomen and thighs and died in the hospital on Wednesday.

He was reportedly trailed by two men when he left his office in the evening on his way home and they attacked him when he reached the house. Deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department T. Murugiah said he knew the victim and described him as a "promising individual".

The local media said that there had been a similar attack on the lawyer four years ago but he had escaped unhurt and the police had arrested the assailant. The lawyer was known to help farmers and squatters settle their eviction issues without charging them.

New Straits Times quoted the deputy chairman of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia M Saraswathy as saying that Balasundaram offered free legal aid for more than 20 years. Robbery has been ruled out as nothing was taken from the lawyer and investigations are on. Balasundram is survived by his wife and a five-year-old son.

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