A 43-year-old man died on Saturday after being interrogated at a police station two days earlier in the northern province of Vinh Phuc.

Nguyen Thanh Hien had a minor fight with his nephew, 21-year-old Vu Quang Huy, on Thursday, according to a report prepared by Hien’s wife.

Huy’s mother Hong informed local police of the fighting and they sent an officer to ask the two men to a police station in Ngo Quyen, a ward of Vinh Yen City – Vinh Phuc’s provincial capital.

Hien and Huy were interrogated for nearly two hours from 7:30 pm at the station before the latter was allowed to go home. Hien was still being questioned then.

After Huy left, Hien’s 29-year-old younger brother Nguyen Thanh Hieu saw his sibling showing signs of extreme physical fatigue when he brought mosquito nets and blankets to the police station, in case Hien might be kept there overnight.

Going into a coma shortly after, the older man was immediately admitted to a general hospital where he underwent two medical operations before passing away yesterday morning.

Hien sustained traumatic brain injuries, hospital doctors said, adding bruises were found on many parts of his body, including his thighs.

Hien’s family alleged that Ngo Quyen police had beaten him during the interrogation process.

Nguyen Van Minh, Ngo Quyen police chief, dismissed the allegation, saying no policemen assaulted the 43-year-old while interrogating him at the station.

Asked about the bruises on Hien’s body, Minh declined to comment and passed the buck to investigators who are looking into the case.

“We all have to wait for final conclusions from the investigators.”

Competent authorities had carried out an autopsy on the deceased but no results have been announced so far.

In a recent incident, Hanoi police arrested and then prosecuted four policemen after they beat a 54-year-old man to death late last month.