By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: A 35-year-old gas cylinder delivery man in Sulur in Coimbatore died after consuming hand sanitizer as an alternative for liquor on Saturday.

The deceased was identified as E Bernard (35) from Karaiyaraiappa Devar Street in Sulur near Coimbatore.

He was found unconscious at home early on Saturday morning at around 3 am. Immediately he was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. Later, the medical examination revealed that he had consumed hand sanitizer before his death.

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According to a police source, Bernard was an alcoholic and had suffered withdrawal symptoms for the last one week due to the lockdown.

It was suspected that someone told that the sanitizer had an alcohol content equivalent to liquor. Also, he had heard that drinking alcohol could help him fight the coronavirus. So, he used the sanitizer as an alternative for liquor, police said.

His body was sent to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for postmortem. The Sulur police registered a case for further inquiry.