Chennai man holds live fish in mouth while fishing, chokes to death as it slips into windpipe

In a tragic and unusual accident, a 29-year-old man from Madurantakam, Tamil Nadu, lost his life after a fish got lodged in his throat while he was fishing with his bare hands.

The incident occurred on Tuesday morning at Keelavalam Lake, near Chengalpattu, as per reports.

The victim, identified as Manikandan, was a daily wage labourer known in his locality for his ability to catch fish by hand. Typically, he would go fishing with friends, but on this particular day, he ventured out alone.

Wading through the shallow waters of Keelavalam Lake, Manikandan successfully caught two fish. With no container or companion to help him hold the catch, he placed one fish in his mouth to free up his hands to catch more.

Tragically, the fish — identified locally as ‘panangottai’ — began to wriggle and slipped further down his throat, blocking his windpipe.

Realizing what had happened, Manikandan panicked and rushed out of the water in a desperate attempt to dislodge the fish. He reportedly tried to remove it with his hands but was unsuccessful. Gasping for air, he began running toward his home but collapsed along the way.

Local residents rushed to his aid and attempted to remove the fish. However, the fish's sharp fins had become lodged in his throat, making extraction extremely difficult.

He was immediately taken to Chengalpet Government Medical College Hospital, where doctors sadly declared him dead on arrival.