Chhattisgarh, India

In a shocking case reported from India's Chhattisgarh state, a 35-year-old man died of suffocation after swallowing a live chicken chick. The bird, oddly enough, survived. The incident in Ambikapur left the local community and medical professionals stunned, with villagers attributing the bizarre act to superstitious beliefs involving occult practices.  

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According to a report in India Today website, Dr Santu Bag, who performed the autopsy said, "This is the first time I have encountered such a case in my career,  having conducted over 15,000 post-mortems. The findings shocked us all."

The deceased, Anand Yadav, a resident of Chhindkalo village, was rushed to the Medical College Hospital in Ambikapur after he collapsed at home. Family members reported that Anand felt dizzy and fainted shortly after bathing.  

Link to occult practices  

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Villagers believe Anand’s actions were driven by superstitions. Allegedly struggling with infertility, he was in contact with a local occultist, or 'tantrik.' 

Some residents speculated that swallowing the live chick was part of a ritual to fulfil his wish to become a father.

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Post-mortem revelations

During the autopsy, doctors discovered the chick alive inside Anand's body. Dr Santu Bag, who conducted the post-mortem, revealed that the 20-cm-long chick was lodged in a way that blocked both the airway and food passage, leading to asphyxiation, as per the India Today Report.

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Police investigation

Local authorities have been informed about the incident. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Anand’s death and probing into the role of any occult influences that may have prompted this tragic act.  

The incident has sparked debates over the dangers of superstitions and the role of education in preventing such tragedies.

(With inputs from agencies)