Dubai: A prisoner died in a Dubai police station on Friday from drug overdose, a police source said yesterday. The incident was similar to a series of deaths that have taken place in the past several months.

The source said an Emirati prisoner, identified by his initials M.K., was held in the police station for his alleged involvement in a brawl.

However he died at Al Qusais Police Station after ingesting an excessive amount of drugs in jail, the source said. Police said the man, in his 20s, had recently been released from Al Aweer Central Jail where he had been for more than eight months on drug-dealing charges.

However, two months ago a court acquitted him and he was released.

Police said the man had been detained again after he was involved in traffic accident. Prior to the accident police had wanted him for his alleged role in a violent fight with other men. M.K.'s body had been sent to the forensic laboratory for investigation, the source said.

Suicide

Police said M.K.'s brother, K.K., committed suicide at Al Aweer central Jail in August by hanging himself while in solitary confinement. K.K. was also in his early 20s and serving multiple sentences.

Another prisoner, a 27-year-old Emirati from Sharjah identified as A.Z.S, had been serving a four-year jail term in Dubai central jail for drug abuse when he strangled himself in May. In another incident, a 23-year-old Emirati prisoner, identified as Khalid, detained for drug charges, died in a blaze at the Ports Police Station. The blaze was for the purpose of committing suicide.

In June, three Emiratis hanged themselves in their cell, and a fourth, set the cell on fire at Al Qusais police station.

Police said a man facing drug charges had died and three others suffered serious injuries in a suicide attempt also at Al Qusais Police Station.