Tamil Nadu Man Dies After Live Fish Gets Stuck in His Throat

In a tragic and shocking accident, a 29-year-old man from Tamil Nadu's Chengalpattu district lost his life after a fishing accident went wrong. The man, Manigandan from Arayapakkam village, died after a live fish entered his throat while he was attempting to catch it bare-handed.

A Routine Day Turns Deadly

Manigandan, who is a casual laborer, was familiar among people for his ability to catch fish with his hands. On Tuesday, he had gone fishing in the Keezhavalam lake in the locality of Madurantakam. He had expected an easy catch because of the low water level in the lake.

Although he managed to catch one fish, he saw another in the vicinity. To release one hand, he briefly carried the first fish in his mouth—headfirst—a trick employed by some anglers to prevent their catch from escaping.

Fish Fights Back with Fatal Consequences

But soon the situation got out of hand. The fish, locally referred to as panangottai, started to squirm and, in a last-ditch attempt to get out, slid further into Manigandan's throat. According to eyewitnesses, the sharp fins of the fish, which naturally spread out as a protective mechanism, could not be pulled out since they got stuck in his throat.

There was a rush from people who stood around to rescue Manigandan, but nothing came of their attempts. Manigandan was sent straight away to the District Government Hospital and confirmed dead on arrival.

Officials are still to put out an official safety warning, but residents are calling for people to stay away from putting live fish into their mouths, a common practice, one might assume, but in this instance proved lethal.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Muhammad Faisal Arshad/MSM)