A male detainee was found dead and hanging in a lockup at the Sungai Siput Police Headquarters this afternoon.

Perak Deputy Police Chief, Datuk Hasnan Hassan said the 39-year-old detainee was found at about 12.10 Wednesday afternoon while a policeman was carrying out routine patrol at the lockup.

"The detainee was found hanging using the T-shirt supplied to him and an inquiry had been carried out by the coroner from the Sungai Siput Magistrate's Court.

"Based on the autopsy report, the detainee's death was caused by a neck compression due to hanging while no other injury was found," he said in a statement, here tonight.

According to Hasnan, during the incident the detainee, who was arrested on May 2 for a drug offence, was alone in the lockup.

He added that the deceased was remanded from Tuesday until May 16 and had four previous criminal records involving drugs.