KUALA LUMPUR – The mother of the late Trooper K. Indiran has appealed to the public to refrain from speculating about the circumstances surrounding her son’s death, stressing that unfounded allegations could unfairly tarnish the reputation of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).
S. Usha, 52, described the loss of her 22-year-old eldest child as devastating but urged patience while investigations are being carried out.
“When I received the shocking news that my son was in critical condition, I feared the worst. But the postmortem confirmed he (Indiran) had not been bullied, beaten, or harmed.
“His physical condition was perfectly normal. So don’t tarnish the Armed Forces with false bullying claims. We’ll have to wait for the investigation,” she told reporters at her residence in Taman Sri Nibong early this morning.
According to Usha, initial findings from the postmortem revealed no signs of physical injury. However, further internal probes and medical tests are ongoing to determine the exact cause of death, a process expected to take between three and four months.
She said Indiran had been in good health when he enlisted, making the tragedy all the more shocking for the family. Despite the sudden loss, she said they have come to terms with his passing.
Addressing public concern, Usha acknowledged that military training can be physically demanding but cautioned against equating tough drills with abuse.
“Indiran said the drills were hard and demanding, but that’s normal to test endurance, not bullying or beating him until he bled,” she said.
Indiran was the son of Major C. Kayamboo, a Royal Malaysian Air Force pilot who perished in 2016 when a Beechcraft B200T aircraft crashed near the munitions terminal at RMAF Butterworth in Penang.
Usha said enduring the loss of both her husband and now her son in service to the nation has been deeply painful.
Still, she maintained that she would not stand in the way of her children’s aspirations to serve, including her 17-year-old third child who has shown interest in joining the uniformed forces.
Earlier, sombre scenes unfolded at the family home as a Malaysian Armed Forces vehicle carrying Indiran’s remains arrived at 1.45am for final respects.
He is scheduled to be laid to rest beside his father at the Batu Lanchang Indian Cemetery at about 2pm today.
On February 18, Indiran, who was undergoing an Armour crew course at Kem Batu 10 in Kuantan, Pahang, was found unconscious and rushed to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital. He died the following day. – February 21, 2026