In March this year he went underground after his request for asylum was rejected. He was arrested Aug 3.

'We know that he was of Indian origin because he said so and the language he spoke with the official interpreters was Hindi. But his real identity was still being verified before deporting him to India,' Golob said.

Austrian authorities are permitted to detain illegal immigrants in custody for not more than 10 months during which time the detainee has to be either deported or released.

Indian officials told IANS that they were trying to establish the true identity of people of Indian origin detained here before they could be deported.

The process is thwarted when illegal asylum seekers held in custody delay signing forms and other papers required to deport them.

A senior Austrian diplomat said that he was not aware of a discussion over the death of the illegal immigrant of Indian origin in custody, on the day Speaker of the lower house of Indian parliament Meira Kumar arrived here with government officials.