SEPANG: A foreigner arrested for causing a disturbance at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 has died in police custody.
Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the man, in his 30s, was detained on Nov 23 under Sections 427, 323, and 186 of the Penal Code for mischief and property damage, voluntarily causing hurt, and obstructing a public servant.
"Around 1.30pm, police arrested the suspect, who was travelling from the United Kingdom to Phuket, Thailand, with a transit stop at KLIA Terminal 1. He had behaved aggressively and disrupted the peace there," Hussein said.
When police attempted to detain him, the suspect resisted, injuring two policemen and an auxiliary officer, and damaging police equipment.
"During the documentation process, the suspect lost consciousness, prompting officers to call the KLIA medical team.
"A doctor administered first aid, but the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene," Hussein added.
The body was sent to Sultan Idris Shah Hospital in Serdang for a post-mortem on Nov 24. The cause of death remains undetermined pending laboratory analysis.
Hussein said that the case has been classified as a sudden death.
He said that the Integrity and Standards Compliance Department's (JIPS) Criminal Investigation and Death in Custody Investigation Unit is investigating all angles before submitting findings to the coroner.
"We have also referred the matter to the Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) as required under Section 26 of the Independent Police Conduct Commission Act 2022," he added.