(COLOMBO) – One person died and another was taken seriously ill after consuming alcohol in a bizarre drink competition at a tea estate in central Sri Lanka on Monday, police and hospital officials said on Tuesday.
They said the victim had died in his sleep hours after grabbing the first place in the competition.
A second competitor was rushed to a nearby Government hospital in a critical condition, the officials added.
A group of young men had organised the drinking competition following a Hindu festival in the estate. Several young men including the deceased persons had joined the competition where they were each provided with 750ml.bottles of alcohol.
The competitor who finished drinking in the minimum time was to be declared the winner.
However, a postmortem examination had revealed that death was due to pneumonia and food being stuck in the victim’s throat.
