Narcotics officer found dead in submerged police car

PETALING JAYA: Police confirmed that the body found inside a police car recovered from a former mining pond in Puchong yesterday is that of Asst Supt V. Sivanathan, a narcotics officer.

Kuala Lumpur Narcotics Criminal Investigation chief Asst Comm Wan Abdullah Ishak said the 34-year-old was an officer attached to the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarter’s narcotics department.

“He has been with the department for five years, having been posted to Kelantan previously,” said ACP Wan Abdullah.

It is believed that ASP Sivanathan, who was on duty, lost control of the car while driving along Jalan Meranti Permai where a sharp bend lies, right next to the lake. The area was unlit.

Witnesses said they saw a car barrelling down the road before it plunged into the lake at about 9.55pm Friday.

The car was fished out yesterday after a two-day search by divers from the Fire and Rescue Department, Royal Malaysian Navy and marine police.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Depart­ment assistant director of operations Mohd Sani Harul said the car was located at about 10.30am, about 20m from the shore of the lake.

“It was lying at a depth of about 15m,” he said, adding that it was pulled out about an hour later.

ASP Sivanathan leaves behind a wife and a child.