Kasaragod: In a case of suspected homicide, a middle-aged man was found dead in his house at Paruthichal in Trikaripur grama panchayat Tuesday morning.

Chandera police, investigating the case, identified the deceased as M V Balakrishnan (54), son of Kelappan.

The door was locked from the inside and he had a serious injury on the back of his head, said Sub-Inspector Sreedas M V, who is investigating the case. "We suspect the injury could have caused his death," he said.

Monday night, Balakrishnan called a local CPM leader, who is also his friend, and told him he was injured. But the CPM leader was on a train to Kottayam and he ignored the call "because Balakrishnan often made such calls after getting drunk", the officer said, reportedly quoting the friend.

Tuesday morning, the friend called back to check on Balakrishnan, but the calls went unanswered. He then called Balakrishnan's elder brother M V Narayanan, who lived next door in the same compound. Narayanan found Balakrishnan's door locked from inside and blood stains near the house and he called the police.

They took Balakrishnan to Life Care Hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead. "We suspect foul play in the death and so we shifted the body to Pariyaram (Kannur government) medical college for inquest and autopsy," said Sub-Inspector Sreedas.

The officer said they have only launched the investigation and have no suspects as of now.

Two neighbours and ward member Shayma M said Balakrishnan lived alone after his wife walked out on him after frequent fights. His two daughters are married. Last week, there was a dispute in the family over partitioning the family property, the neighbours said.