'One...two...three, gunshots': Chilling audio clip of unfinished phone call during police op points to trio's cold-blooded murder

A chilling recording of a phone call has been released by lawyers for three men who were shot and killed by police on Nov 24 in Durian Tunggal, Melaka, providing shocking evidence that challenges the police's claim that the killings were carried out in self-defence after the men allegedly attacked one of the officers.

A forensically examined audio recording of the incident was released by lawyers representing the families of Puspanathan Murulitharan, 21, Poonesvaran Tiagarajan, 24, and Logeswaran Georgie, 29, three men whom police later claimed were armed with machetes and were "highly wanted" members of a criminal gang.

Hours after the incident, Melaka police chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar told the media that one of the policemen was "viciously hacked in his left hand".

"Police had no choice but to open fire on the suspects," Dzulkhairi was quoted as saying on Nov 24, adding that three parangs, a metal cutter, three face masks and three gloves were also seized.

However, while the incident was taking place, Logeswaran had just started a phone call with his wife, Jeyasri Manoharan, informing her that three vehicles were suspiciously tailing their car as they headed northbound to Kuala Lumpur along the North-South Expressway.

Logeswaran did not hang up, and Jeyasri heard and recorded the rest of what took place, from the time the police dragged them out of their car to the moment officers counted to three before gunshots were heard.

The audio recording lasts 13 minutes and 53 seconds.

An organisation, Hindu Service Centre or Hindu Agamam Ani Malaysia, later handed over the clip to a forensic investigation firm, where it ws tasked with analysing the audio recording, enhancing its clarity, transcribing the conversation, and provide a context of the scenario captured in the recording.

"One, two, three, pull, pull," a man identified as a police officer is heard saying in the clip, which was played at a press conference today.

"Ah, this, switch it off, switch it off, this is evidence, switch it off," said another voice at the end of the recording. "Hey, this is Loges's... (inaudible) wait, wait, wait, wait."

Speaking to reporters, lawyers Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh demanded that Bukit Aman police establish a special task force to investigate the incident, including to launch a murder investigation.

"No delay is acceptable," said Sachpreetraj.

He said all officers involved in the incident, as well as those who attempted to cover it up with a "false narrative", should be immediately suspended.

"No officers, senior or otherwise, should be exempt from accountability."

Meanwhile, Rajesh said it would be a mockery if the police themselves were to investigate the incident.

He also called on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to urgently discuss the case and set up an independent inquiry.

"We want the police officers who committed the murders to be charged. They must go to court, they must go to prison. Just because they wear the police uniform does not give them the right to kill civilians."

No sign of 'shock' upon alleged discovery of weapons

In its report, which included an annotated transcript of the recording, forensic experts also found no indication of the discovery of weapons as alleged by police.

"There is no clear audible reaction, surprise, or conversation indicating discovery of weapons, discussions about these items, or any exclamation by officers upon locating dangerous tools," said Thistlegorm Forensic MY Sdn Bhd in its report.

"The audio does not confirm or reject the presence of these items; it simply does not contain discussions consistent with their discovery within the timeframe recorded," it added.

Based on the analysis, the report also questioned the police's claim that one of the men had slashed an officer with a machete, injuring his left arm.

It said the claim contrasted with the voices of the men "expressing fear and inability", adding that there was also no sound of "distress or cries of pain from police personnel", or any suggestion that an officer had just been injured.

It added that the timeline also suggested the trio "appear to have been restrained almost immediately after their vehicle malfunctioned, without an audible sequence matching the allegation of a machete attack".