Phagwara: A 38-year-old man was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the kitchen of his house at village Panchhat near here, police said today. Police identified the deceased as Gurpal Singh, who lived alone in the house. 

When he did not come out of the house yesterday, his neighbours informed his elder brother Budh Singh, who lived in a 'dera' in Meghowal village in Hoshiarpur district, they said. Budh Singh broke opened the door of the house and found Gurpal lying dead in the kitchen, they said. 

Budh Singh told newsmen that their parents had died a couple of years ago while other family members were settled in Canada. He said that Gurpal Singh had also returned from Canada three years ago and lived at the Meghowal 'dera'. 

He said Gurpal left the 'dera' two months ago and started living in Panchhat village. Panchhat Police Post in charge Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Jaswinder Singh said that Gurpal Singh's body was sent for post-mortem examination to the civil hospital in Phagwara. "The cause of his death will be known only after the post-mortem report is received," said the ASI. Police have initiated a probe in this connection under section 174 of the CrPc, he said.