Labuan: Police classified the discovery of a man's body by the side of the Kota Bharu-Kuala Krai road, near Machang, this afternoon as a sudden death case, after an initial examination found no criminal elements.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Machang district police chief Supt Azuhar Md Nor stated that his team received information about the discovery of the man's body at around 3.47 pm. The body was found lying face down on the grass verge at Kilometre 25 Jalan Kota Bharu-Kuala Krai. The Malay man, approximately 45 years old and from Kota Bharu, was believed to be an ex-convict recently released from prison. Reports indicated that he had been seen walking before being found unconscious.

Azuhar added that the Machang Hospital team arrived at the scene and confirmed that the victim had died. An initial examination by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) forensic team of the Kelantan police contingent headquarters (IPK) found no signs of injuries with criminal elements.

The victim's body was sent to the Kuala Krai Hospital's forensic unit for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Investigations revealed that the victim had a criminal record under Section 427 of the Penal Code. Azuhar urged the public not to make any speculation that could interfere with the police investigation and requested anyone with information related to the incident to report it to the nearest police station.