Rio, 2/3/2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The government of the state of Rio de Janeiro has begun an investigation into the death of a student, Rômulo Batista de Melo, 21, who was arrested, held in a local jail for six days and then died mysteriously as he was being transported to Rio.

According to the state secretary for Human Rights, Jorge da Silva, it looks like Melo was beaten and left locked up in a closed police car while the officers transporting him had lunch.

"This sort of thing is unacceptable. Our state has clear rules about human rights. We will go to the ultimate consequences to punish those responsible. This is something that cannot happen. The governor has ordered this case to be solved," said the secretary. (AB)