Man keeps fish in mouth while fishing; choked to death
What's the story
In a shocking incident, a 29-year-old daily wage laborer from Tamil Nadu's Chengalpattu district choked to death after keeping a live fish inside his mouth.
The victim, identified as Manigandan from Arayapakkam village, was known locally for his habit of catching fish with his bare hands.
He had gone to Keezhavalam lake in the Madurantakam area to look for fish when the mishap happened.
The incident
Fisherman swallows fish while trying to catch another
On Tuesday, Manigandan had gone fishing at the nearby Keelavalam lake as the water level was low.
He had caught one fish when he saw another. To stop the first from escaping, he put it head-first in his mouth.
Witnesses said that this made the live panangottai (as it is known in TN) wriggle deeper into his throat.
Though those present rushed to help him, they couldn't remove it due to its sharp fins, which spread out when threatened.
Medical response
Victim pronounced dead at local hospital
Manigandan was rushed to the District Government Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
The fish is known as the climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) in English.
It is an amphibious freshwater species native to South and Southeast Asia that can survive out of water if moist.
The fish is nicknamed climbing perch because it can wander or crawl across land or ponds.