Malayalam actor Dileep Shankar found dead in hotel room in Thiruvananthapuram

Well-known film and television actor Dileep Shankar, known for his varied roles in serials, was found dead in a hotel room here, police said on Sunday.

The 50-year-old actor had checked into the hotel, located in the heart of the city, on December 19 for a serial shooting project, police added.

He was last seen two days ago by the hotel staff outside his room, a senior police officer said.

Repeated calls from the hotel staff and the serial crew went unanswered, prompting them to inform the police.

“The room was locked from inside. When we broke open the door, he was found lying motionless,” the police said.

The death is believed to have occurred two days ago.

According to the post-mortem report, the cause of death was internal bleeding, possibly resulting from a head injury after a fall, police said.

The actor had also reportedly been suffering from liver-related health issues, police added.

In addition to his work in serials, Shankar also played notable roles in several films.