New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS): A 55-year-old British engineer was found dead under mysterious circumstances in his rented accommodation here, Delhi Police said on Monday.

Paul Barker, who worked as a tunnel manager with Pratibha Industries Limited, was found dead around 2 p.m. on Sunday in Defence Colony in south Delhi, a police officer said, adding that cardiac arrest might be the reason behind the death.

Pratibha Industries is a construction company and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is one of its major clients.

Police said one of Barker's friends residing in Defence Colony discovered his body and informed them.

"The friend informed us that he went to Barker's house when Barker did not respond to his repeated phone calls," Defence Colony SHO Kuldeep Singh told IANS.

He said Barker was lying naked in his bedroom when they reached the spot.

"There was no any external injury on his body. We could also not find any forceful entry into the house. Prime facie it seemed that he died due to cardiac arrest as blood was coming out from his nose," Kuldeep Singh said.

"He was a regular heavy drinker and that might be the reason behind the cardiac arrest. But, we are still waiting for his medical report to confirm the exact reason behind his death," said the official.

Police also recovered some liquor bottles from the house of the deceased.