PALAKKAD: A youth died after consuming a poisonous fruit (Kanjirakaya) as part of a ritual. The incident happened yesterday at Parathur Kulamukku in Palakkad. The dead is Shaiju (43) of Kulamukku. He ate the poisonous fruit as part of thullal ritual.

More than 500 families gather to perform the function every year. Shaiju performed the thullal as velichappadu. As part of the ritual, fruits are offered to the velichappadu. Following this, he also ate the poisonous fruit. It is customary to spit the fruit after eating it. However, Shaiju bit two or three fruits together and did not spit it out.

After that, Shaiju went home, took his bath and developed uneasiness. Though he was taken to the hospital, his life could not be saved. He died last night. The police reached the spot and filed a case of unnatural death.