KUALA LUMPUR: Police today said that the death of a man in the Indera Mahkota lock-up in Kuantan, Pahang, on Saturday was due to acute chronic lung infection with underlying pulmonary tuberculosis with COVID-19.

Bukit Aman Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) director Datuk Azri Ahmad said in a statement that this was confirmed by the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) in Kuantan which conducted an autopsy on the detainee's body.

He said the autopsy did not show any injuries or criminal elements, and the case has been classified as sudden death.

The death of the local detainee (OKT), aged 42, was confirmed by the Kuantan hospital on Saturday at 6.35 pm.

Azri said the JIPS Criminal Investigation and Death in Custody Unit will continue with investigations from various angles before handing over the findings to the coroner for a decision.

On March 21, Azri was reported to have said that the man concerned had been sent to the said lock-up to serve an eight-month jail sentence for offences under Section 15 (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and to face charges in court on April 14 for offences under Section 12 (2) of the same act.

-- BERNAMA