New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS): A factory owner and his friend allegedly suffocated to death when they slept in their flat by keeping the fire stove burning, police said on Tuesday.

Police said the incident was reported to the police on Monday morning when the victims, identified as Tejinder Singh,31, Gurtej,21, were found dead in a rented flat by Samarpreet, a foreman in Tejinder's factory.

"During investigation, it was found that a resident of Jind in Haryana, Gurtej had came to visit Tejinder in his Subhash Nagar flat. Tejinder was joined by two more friends. They all had food and liquor on Sunday night," Deputy Commissioner of Police Monika Bhardwaj said.

"A packet of cigarettes, liquor bottles, glasses and a stove (angithi) were found from the spot," she added.

"Tejinder, a resident of Remesh Nagar in Delhi, ran a factory. He had rented a flat in Subhash Nagar for his employees," the officer said.

When Smarjeet reached the place to take keys of the factory, he found Gurtej and Tejinder unconscious. He later informed the police, said Bhardwaj.

"We are interrogating the other two friends who had left Tejinder's flat to know the entire sequence," she said.