The man didn't actually digest the chick, it got stuck within his throat and he died from asphyxiation.
Hindustan Times stated that the chick came out alive, while
India Today and
The Times of India declared that it died as well.
"A 35-year-old man in Chhattisgarh died after he reportedly swallowed a live chick, which the villagers suspected to be an act driven by occult practices to fulfil his wish to become a father.
The case, reported from Ambikapur, left doctors stunned when they found the chick inside the victim's body during post-mortem.
The man, identified as Anand Yadav, a resident of Chhindkalo village, was brought to the Medical College Hospital in Ambikapur after he collapsed at home. Family members stated that he felt dizzy and fainted after returning from a bath."
(
India Today).
"During the post-mortem, doctors were initially unsure of the cause of death. However, an incision near Yadav's throat revealed a live chick lodged inside, measuring around 20 cm in length."
(
Hindustan Times).
"The chick itself also perished in the process.
A doctor [Dr. Santu Bag] stated that the chick was stuck in Anand's throat, specifically caught between his windpipe [trachea] and food pipe [esophagus]. After conducting a thorough investigation, they concluded that the cause of death was asphyxiation caused by the chick blocking his airway.
According to local villagers and family members, Anand had been under the influence of tantric practices for some time. Despite being married for over five years, he and his wife had not been able to conceive, leading to increasing frustration. He sought guidance from a tantric [
an individual who practices Tantra, which is a set of esoteric traditions within Hinduism] who suggested the ritual of swallowing a live chick to solve his problem, police suspect."
(
The Times of India).