When a person dies the physical body ceases to exist. However, the rest of his existence or consciousness continues. The existence of the person minus the physical body is known as the subtle body (linga deha) and it comprises of the mental, causal (intellect) and supracausal (subtle ego) bodies. This subtle body then goes to one of the 13 subtle planes of existence other than the Earth plane.
There are 14 main planes of existence in the Universe. Seven of them are positive planes of existence and seven are negative planes of existence. The seven negative planes of existence are commonly known as Hell (Paataal). There are numerous sub-planes within these main planes of existence.
Life after death - a scientific view