Visakhapatnam, A senior police officer of Andhra Pradesh on Friday allegedly committed suicide, police said.

P.V. Krishna Varma, serving as Special Branch Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) at Srikakulam, allegedly hanged himself at his residence on Beach Road in this coastal city.

Varma's wife and son found him dead on their return from a hospital. The officer is suspected to have ended his life due to ill-health.

He was battling a serious lung ailment for the last four years and doctors had advised lung transplant.

"We have registered a case of death under suspicious circumstances. The exact cause of the death will be known after the investigations," said Shanmukha Rao, Inspector of MVP Police Station.

The police officer said the body was shifted to King George Hospital for autopsy.

Varma had served at various police stations in Visakhapatnam and was later promoted as DSP and posted in Srikakulam.