A construction worker died in Kerala’s Idukki on Saturday, September 9 after he mistakenly drank alcohol mixed with inverter battery water that had diluted sulphuric acid in it. The deceased, identified as MN Mohanan (62), hailed from Arakkulam in Idukki. Mohanan, who had arrived at the construction site at Thopramkudy on September 1 as part of contract work, was admitted to a private hospital in Thodupuzha on Friday afternoon after he started to experience severe abdominal pain.

At the hospital, Mohanan informed the doctor that he had accidentally mixed battery water from his worksite with his alcohol. He was soon shifted to the Kottayam Medical College Hospital for expert treatment, but died a day later.

As per reports, bottles of both drinking water and the acidic battery water were kept in the inverter room of the building where Mohanan worked, which led to the confusion. His co-workers reportedly told the police that Mohanan immediately realised his mistake and attempted to vomit the alcohol out, but was unsuccessful. Doctors at the private hospital informed them that Mohanan’s blood pressure had dropped significantly due to the adulterated liquor.

Murikkassery police have registered a case of unnatural death, and a sample of the battery water has been sent to a government lab in Thiruvananthapuram for testing. After a postmortem examination at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital, Mohanan’s mortal remains were handed over to his family.