By Elena Chong, Court Correspondent

A DRUG abuser leapt 11 floors to his death from the kitchen window when narcotics officer came knocking on his door, a coroner's court heard.

Arumugam Morgan, 49, had refused to let Central Narcotics Bureau officers in when they were conducting a raid at his flat in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 on Jan 8.

At an inquiry into his death, the court heard that Arumugam opened the wooden door but left the metal gate locked after Assistant Superintendent of Police Jack Teng had identified himself.

He told ASP Teng that he had taken drugs two days earlier, and asked for another chance. He then shut the door and headed back to the kitchen.

When ASP Teng saw, through the window along the common corridor, Arumugam climbing onto the kitchen window ledge and standing there, he directed a senior staff sergeant to activate the police and civil defence.

ASP Teng continued talking to Arumugam to try and get him to come down.

Arumugam jumped down from the kitchen window before Singapore Civil Defence Force officers could set up an air-bag.

According to his elder brother, Arumugam had been abusing drugs since young and had been arrested on various occasions.

Arumugam, who started abusing Subutex two to three years ago, had told his brother he never wanted to be put in a drug centre again after having been there five times. He was last released in 2003.

On Monday, State Coroner Victor Yeo recorded a verdict of suicide on his death.



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