An inmate who died in a prison in south China's Guangdong Province was "beaten to death" by fellow prisoners, prosecutors said Tuesday.

A statement issued by Guangdong Provincial Procuratorate said an autopsy, along with a police investigation, showed Liu Yushan was beaten by fellow inmates Luo Qingping and Wen Xiaoping before his death in Gaoming Prison, in Gaoming District of Foshan City.

On March 28, Liu was "wrestled to the ground and beaten by Luo and Wen who were on duty to help maintain order in prison," because they saw Liu "rush toward a prison guard," said the statement.

On March 29, the pair beat Liu again after his refusal to finish the required routine in the physical exercises. They also forced Liu to do intensive squat exercises.

On March 31, Liu became abnormally pale and developed respiratory difficulties, and was rushed to the prison hospital, where he died.

The statement said Liu died of acute renal failure caused by extensive soft-tissues injures. "The major reason of Liu's death is Luo and Wen's beating on March 29," it said.

The prison authorities claimed in early April that Liu's death might have been related to a heart problem. But Liu's relatives said they suspected he was beaten as they found many injuries on his body on April 1 in the funeral home.

An investigation was jointly launched by both the provincial procuratorate and the Gaoming District procuratorate on April 3.

Guangdong Provincial Procuratorate said Wen and Luo had been prosecuted and another prison guard, whose surname was given as Li, was investigated for failing to prevent the death.

China's detention system has received extensive criticism since February, when a prisoner in the southwestern Yunnan Province died after being assaulted by another inmate, although police initially claimed he had died in custody while playing a game of hide-and-seek.

(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2009)