Wayanad: A 32-year-old man died of a snakebite at Puthussery in Thondarnad village panchayat near here. Although he passed away on Tuesday, the exact cause of death was confirmed only later following a postmortem.

The victim was Sunil, a resident of the Tharuvanamittam tribal settlement, who was found lying unconscious in his home around noon on Tuesday. As the door was closed, relatives initially assumed that Sunil, a farm labourer, had gone for work. It was only later that they found him lying unconscious inside the room and rushed him to the Medical College Hospital.

As the death appeared suspicious, the body was shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Mananthavady, for a postmortem examination. The cause of death was subsequently confirmed to be snake venom.

Officials said he might have been bitten by a snake while sleeping, as bite marks were found on one of his legs. Relatives also suspect that Sunil may have been bitten while at work and could have been unaware of it.