ERL accident victim is Indian national, with no suicide attempt - Police

The police confirmed the man who was killed after being run over by the Express Rail Link (ERL) near Bandar Tasik Selatan as an Indian national.

After verifying with two witnesses, Cheras District Police Chief ACP Chong Kok Sin in a statement confirmed the vicitim as Jagdish Singh.

The victim’s identity was also confirmed after police recorded a witness statement of the owner of a retail shop located at Kota Warisan, Salak Tinggu who admitted to holding the 39-year-old Jagdish's passport.

"The victim has pledged his passport because he could not pay his debt to the shop owner. The last time the witness met with the victim was at 1pm Saturday because the victim wanted to take his passport back but the witness has forgotten where he placed it and told the victim to come back on Monday," said Chong.

READ: Man run over by ERL was a trespasser, not passenger

He added that the victims often come to the grocery store and is often drunk.

Meanwhile, another witness was called by the police as his number was on a piece of paper found with the victim.

"The witness recognized the victim from a surau in Salak Tinggi and shared his hardship and missing his wife and children back in India. The victim also asked the witness to pay the RM150 owed to the grocery shop owner as he wanted his passport back,” said Chong.

The investigation also found that the victim was walking on the ERL track heading towards KL Sentral - with no intention of wanting to commit suicide.

“He is believed to be one of the ERL passenger from Salak Tinggi based on the ticket found with him which was purchased at approximately 6.28pm on May 30. It is believed that the victim was heading to KL Sentral but disembarked at the TBS Bandar Tasik Selatan station by mistake.

"The victim then walked on the rail heading towards KL Sentral. This is because if he walked on the street, he does not know the direction to KL Sentral,” said Chong.

The ERL driver - in an interview with the police - admitted to "hitting something" at 7.4KM heading towards KL Sentral, which is believed to have taken place at 8.20pm on Saturday.

“An examination at the scene which took place at around 11.50am Sunday found the headless body with severe injuries on the rail. The head was found in a ditch and a hand on the rail,” added Chong.