Alappuzha (Kerala) | A remand prisoner lodged at the Alappuzha District Jail died by suicide inside his cell on Sunday, police said.

The deceased was identified as Sarath Prasad (41) from Punnapra.

Sarath had been arrested for allegedly attacking a doctor at Alappuzha General Hospital and was remanded to the district jail on Friday.

According to police, when inmates were let out of their cells for meals, Prasad allegedly hanged himself from a ventilation opening using his clothes.

Police said he had climbed onto a pipe inside the cell to reach the ventilation.

When Prasad was not seen, jail officials checked the cell and rushed him to a hospital, where he was declared dead.

Alappuzha south police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Jail authorities are also conducting an inquiry into the incident, officials said.

The body will be handed over to his relatives after the post-mortem, police added.