A young man dies after taking pills to lose weight in Chennai

Chennai: A 21-year-old young man died on Wednesday after allegedly taking weight reduction pills at Tambaram. The private company was called to appear for an inquiry regarding the dosage and ingredients in drugs, a senior police officer said.

Police said, the deceased, identified as P Surya (21), was employed as a distributor for a milk firm in Somangalam near Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram. Surya, who was obese, had been advised by doctors to reduce his weight, over the past months. From December 22, he began taking the pills, based on friends’



suggestions.

“The company functions on a multi-level marketing model (where products are sold directly to consumers) and Surya did not have a prescription. Within ten days of the pills, there was a drastic change in his body,” said police.

On January 1, Surya fell unconscious in his house and was admitted to a government hospital. He was rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Chennai, where he died without responding to treatment on Wednesday. Based on the complaint from Surya’s father, Palayam, the Somangalam police registered a case and launched a probe.​