Police claim the death in custody of a detainee being held at the Klang Selatan district police headquarters yesterday was due to a botched escape attempt.

According to Selangor police chief Arjunaidi Mohamed, 36-year-old Umar Faruq Abdullah @ Hemananthan had attempted to escape by jumping from the second floor of the building onto the first floor.

“While the investigating officer was escorting (Umar) from the office to his cell, the deceased pushed the investigating officer, then fled towards an open window and jumped.

“The deceased fell onto the concrete parapet between the first and second floor before falling onto a motorcycle in the parking lot,” Arjunaidi told a press conference at the Selangor district police headquarters in Shah Alam today.