On Sunday, Malayalam actor Dileep Shankar was found dead in a hotel room in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The actor, a resident of Ernakulam, had traveled for the shooting of the television series Panchagni, and the cause of his death has not yet been revealed. According to several reports, Dileep had checked into the hotel on December 19, and the police have registered a complaint after the hotel staff discovered him dead in the room.
Dileep had not stepped out of his room since he checked into the hotel two days ago. On Sunday morning, concerned by a foul smell emanating from the room, the hotel staff investigated and found Dileep dead upon opening the door. After a police investigation, it was noted that no foul play or signs were found.
The police source quoted by the New Indian Express stated, "There are no signs of foul play at this stage. The exact cause of death will be ascertained after the post-mortem."
The series director, Manoj, confirmed that the actor had been battling health issues, though the details have not been specified, and he was undergoing treatment He also shared that there was a two-day break in the shooting and that Dileep did not pick up the phone despite multiple calls.
Hours after the news of Dileep's news broke, actor Seema G Nair penned an emotional post on Facebook in Malayalam that translates to, "You called me five days ago, and I couldn’t talk because I had a headache that day. Now I found out the news when a journalist called me. What happened to you Dileep…why did this happen, God, I don’t even know what to write…my tributes to you."
