Police custody death triggers investigation after post-mortem shows no internal injuries

Authorities say a 42-year-old male detainee, arrested in Cheras on September 19 for alleged violations of the Dangerous Drugs Act and the Penal Code, died in police custody on October 1. He was transferred to Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz for medical care but was declared dead at 1.52 am. A post-mortem examination identified several external injuries but no internal organ damage, leaving the cause of death unresolved pending further lab work.

Datuk Aida Abdul Hamid, director of Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standards Compliance Department, classified the incident as a sudden death and noted that the Death in Custody Criminal Investigation Unit is pursuing multiple investigative angles. Statements have been taken from 78 individuals, including police officers, medical staff, forensic specialists, legal aid representatives and two family members. The case has also been forwarded to the Independent Police Conduct Commission under the IPCC Act 2022.