KLANG: The family of the Indian national who perished in the 2024 Jalan Masjid India sinkhole tragedy has officially received her death certificate, enabling their legal team to begin the process of claiming compensation from the authorities.
The family’s lawyer, M. Partiben, said the document was handed over by the National Registration Department in Putrajaya to Surya Madhaiha, 28, the son of G. Vijaya Lakshmi, 48.
“The focus has now shifted fully to claiming the family’s rights, and we hope the authorities will expedite the compensation process to reduce the family’s expenses while they remain in Malaysia,” he said at a press conference yesterday, Bernama reported.
Partiben said the compensation claim would cover multiple elements, including damages for bereavement, funeral costs, special damages and exemplary damages following the incident, which was allegedly caused by negligence in maintenance by the local authorities.
He suggested the government refer to a Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court decision on March 24, which ordered the Kuala Lumpur mayor to pay RM824,180 in damages to the family of a victim killed by a falling tree due to maintenance negligence near the Selayang Market on March 22, 2023.
“A comparison should be made because, in this sinkhole tragedy, the cause has also been linked to underground utility negligence and geological factors. We hope the ministry and Kuala Lumpur City Hall will make a reasonable assessment,” he said.
Another lawyer, Muhamad Saifullah Muhamad Azmi, said the issuance of the death certificate has brought some relief to the family, who are now facing financial pressure as the deceased was the main breadwinner.
He said the document was urgently needed to settle the deceased’s outstanding debts with Indian banks and prevent further action against the family.
On Aug 23, 2024, Vijaya Lakshmi, who was from Kuppam in Andhra Pradesh, India, was reported missing after falling into an 8m-deep sinkhole along Jalan Masjid India.
Extensive search-and-rescue operations were conducted for nine days before they were called off due to safety concerns for rescue personnel.
