B-C Radio: Dumpling-Eating Contest Ends in Tragedy

A man suffered severe brain damage after winning a radio station's dumpling-eating contest, his guardian claims in court, according to Courthouse News.

Samaljit Aulakh, through his guardian Kamaljeet Aulakh, sued South Asian Broadcasting Corp. CKYE 93.1 FM Red FM, in British Columbia Supreme Court.

He also sued the dumpling maker.

The radio station held an eating contest as part of a Diwali celebration in November 2012. Participants competed to win an iPhone by eating gulab jamuns, a South Asian cheese-based desert dumpling, made by defendant Nanak Foods.

Aulakh was the first to finish, but the victory was short-lived. He stood up and "immediately exhibited signs of distress in containing the gulab jamuns and the Red FM broadcaster advised him that if he did not contain them, or if he threw them up, he would not win the iPhone," the complaint states.

An employee gave him some water, but Aulakh choked, fell to the floor and lost consciousness. Emergency workers failed to clear his airway and he now suffers from total paralysis and relies on family members for care, including his wife and guardian, Kamaljeet Aulakh, according to the lawsuit.