A native of Kottayam district in Kerala who was taken into police custody was found hanging inside the Manarcad police station toilet on Tuesday.

27-year-old U Navas, resident of Rajiv Gandhi Colony in Areeparambu, was taken into custody on Monday night on the complaint of his brother who is a transgender person, for creating trouble at home.

On Tuesday morning, Navas asked for permission to use the toilet inside the police station. “Since he was not coming out after quite some time, the officers checked the toilet and he was found dead by hanging to the window using his lungi,” a police official told TNM.

According to reports, Navas went missing from the station at around 9.15 am and was found hanging inside the toilet at 10.30 am.

He was rushed to Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam, but was declared brought dead.

“Navas used to create problems at home always. He was taken into custody on the complaint of his brother. He was drunk and fighting with his brother over some reason,” a police official in Manarcad station told TNM.

Police officials also told TNM that the arrest was not registered and Navas was taken into custody.

Meanwhile, Kottayam District Police Chief Hari Sankar denied any custodial torture, reports The Hindu.

Deputy SP of District Crime Records Bureau, Parthasarathy Pillai will lead the investigation. Special Branch DySP P.A. Prakasan has also been directed to submit a report.

According to reports, DGP and state police chief Loknath Behera has directed Ernakulam Range IG Vijay Sakhare and Kottayam police chief Hari Sankar to take stringent action against negligent police officers. The case will be investigated at the magistrate level as per norms issued by the National Human Rights Commission and Supreme Court.

Autopsy will be conducted at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam.