Mandya (Karnataka), Jul 8 (IANS): Kannada television serial actor Susheel Gowda was found dead by hanging in a friend's house at a village near Karnataka's Mandya town, police said on Wednesday. He was 32.

"Though Gowda's body was found hanging in the day in his friend's house at Kiragandur village near Mandya, his death might have occurred on Monday. The body has been sent for autopsy to ascertain the cause of his death," Mandya Deputy Superintendent of Police L. Navin Kumar told IANS on phone.

Mandya is 100 km southwest of Bengaluru on way to Mysuru.

When Gowda's parents lodged a missing complaint of their son on Monday, the district police launched a search for him and alerted all police stations across the southern state to trace him as his mobile handset was switched off.

"When Gowda's photo in the complaint matched with his face, we have asked his parents to identify and confirm that he was their son," Kumar said.

A case of homicide was registered under section 174 of the CrPC.

Gowda was the only son to his parents and was a bachelor.

"Gowda joined the Kannada television serials in 2015 and acted in one or two Kannada films also. As he did not get many opportunities, we are told, of late he was under depression," said Kumar.

Gowda shot to fame for his role in Kannada soap opera "Anthapura".

He also acted as a young police officer in under production Kannada film "Salaga", which is directed by Kannada cine star Duniya Vijay.

"I have known Susheel during the shooting for my film. People are losing hope and livelihood due to Covid pandemic and the lockdown that disrupted normal life over the last 3 months," Vijay told reporters in Bengaluru.