CHENNAI: What was supposed to be a playful prank turned fatal for a 19-year-old guest worker who developed health complications and died after his co-worker directed high pressure air from an air compressor through his rectum, in Gummidipoondi.

The incident happened on Monday night and the victim was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed without responding to treatment a day later, said the police.

The deceased was identified as Chandra Sekar (19) of Bihar. He was employed at an industrial unit in Gummidipoondi Sipcot and lived at Paapankuppam village nearby. Probe revealed that on Monday, Chandra Sekar and another guest worker, Dharmendra Kumar (19), also from Bihar, were in their unit when the incident happened.

According to police sources, Kumar playfully taunted Chandra Sekar over his lean body and suggested that high pressure air from the air compressor be directed through his rectum to make him look fat. Without realising the dangers, the duo carried on with the act. Within a few hours, Chandra Sekar developed health complications, after which they alerted other workers and sought help.

Chandra Sekar was moved to a nearby hospital and then shifted to another hospital in Chennai, where he died without responding to treatment, police said. The Gummidipoondi Sipcot police moved his body to a government hospital for post-mortem examination. Further investigations are under way.