Factory Worker Dies After Colleague Pumps Compressed Air Into His Rectum

A 33-year-old man in India died Tuesday after his co-worker released high-pressure air into his rectum using a compressor pump, according to police.

The victim, a migrant worker named Mintu from Assam in northeastern India, was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital after the suspect, Sidharth Chamua, blew the compressed air into his rectum while they were using it to clean themselves up, Times of India reported.

The incident happened at a plywood factory in Valayanchirangara in Ernakulam district.

Workers in the factory usually use the 15-horsepower compressor pump attached to a valve for cleaning their area. However, they also use it to remove dust from their bodies after work.

Police said that Mintu stripped off and asked Chamua to blow the air using the pump to clean his body after their shift. However, while doing so, Chamua also blew the high-pressure air into the victim's rectum, which caused damage to his internal organs.

Mintu immediately lost consciousness and later died while being transported to the hospital.

"Sidharth claimed that they used to blow compressed cold air at each other due to the hot weather. But this time he tried to blow it into Mintu's rectum and the latter fell unconscious. He was taken to the hospital but could [not] be saved," the police said in a report by India-based NDTV.

Chamua, who is also from Assam, was arrested by police and charged under Section 304, or culpable homicide not amounting to murder, of the country's penal code.

Police said that they did not charge him with murder as it was not his intention to kill his colleague, though he was aware of the danger of his actions.

The punishment for those who are found liable under Section 304 is imprisonment of up to two years, a fine or both.

"Whoever causes the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both," the Indian penal code states.

However, police said they also uncovered that the two had fought recently over cleaning works. They are keeping Chamua in their custody amid further interrogation.

Chamua was expected to appear in court Wednesday.