Son of veteran lawyer shocked over father’s sudden death

THE only son of veteran lawyer Dr Ananda Raj San Markan is still shocked by the incident that befell his father, Datuk San Markan Ganapathi, who died after being trapped in a fire at a two-storey shophouse used as a law office on King Street in Penang, yesterday.

"Give me some space, we are still grieving the loss of our father and still thinking about the deceased," he told reporters when met at the Penang Hospital Forensic Medicine Department compound.

San Markan's body was taken back to his home in Gelugor for prayers and last respects from 4 to 6 pm this afternoon, before the deceased was buried at the Batu Lanchang Hindu cemetery.

Apart from San Markan, 88, a female clerk, B J Chandra, 60, also died in the incident, which occurred at about 12.14 pm.

Chandra's sister, B J Sajni, 68, said her sister had only been working at the law firm for nine months after quitting her job at a law office in Aboo Siti Lane here following the death of her employer.

"My sister is a quiet person. She lives alone, not far from my house in Bayan Baru. We are very close and always in touch, and the last time we met was last week when my eldest sister returned from India to visit us," she said.

Sajni said that at the time of the incident, she was at a temple in Bayan Baru, and she found out about the fire when she received a call from a friend. She immediately rushed to the location.

"As soon as she arrived, firemen were putting out the fire ... my sister's employer managed to get down using the stairs with the help of a neighbour, and they informed her that they had tried to call my sister, but there was no response because the smoke was too thick," she said.

She said Chandra's funeral arrangements would be decided as soon as their youngest sister arrived from the United States tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Penang Bar Committee Chairman S Gowri said San Markan was remembered as an experienced figure, prudent in giving advice and highly dedicated to the legal profession, besides being active in civil law practice and continuing to contribute as a consultant to several firms. – April 14, 2026