SINGAPORE, Dec. 25 -- Former activist lawyer Ravi Madasamy, better known as M. Ravi, took drugs with a friend before he was found unconscious at home, police said.

The Singapore Police Force told The Straits Times that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) received a call at 5.41am on December 24 to attend to an urgent case.

"The person who needed assistance was 56-year-old M. Ravi. He was admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital unconscious, where he was subsequently pronounced dead," police said.

Police added that another person was present in the apartment when SCDF arrived and had called for help.

The friend told officers "he and M. Ravi had taken drugs a few hours earlier, and M. Ravi exhibited concerning symptoms after he took the ...