Police believe a man who was found dead in a car park had been deliberately knocked down shortly beforehand.

Three people have been arrested after the 36-year-old victim from Noordwijkerhout died from his injuries in the car park in Valkenburg, near Leiden.

Officers said there were “strong indications” that he had been hit by a car when they arrived on the scene at 8pm on Sunday, local news network Rijnmond reported. They were unable to resuscitate the man and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 29-year-old man from Rotterdam, a 30-year-old man from Hoorn, Noord-Holland and a 29-year-old woman from Leiden were arrested later on Sunday.

Several cars were also seized by police in connection with the inquiry, Rijnmond said.