A man identified as I Wayan Merta, who became an internet sensation for blasting bug poison into his mouth has died.
As news of his passing circulated widely and links were inevitably made to his dangerous act, his family has now come forward to clarify that his death was unrelated to the stunt.
I Wayan Merta, who is also known as Ki Galang Pamungkas, was known for being a spiritual guru in Bali — but he gained viral recognition for videos that showed him spraying insecticide directly into his mouth.
Ki Galang’s brother, I Nyoman Saputra, dismissed rumors that his death was because of regular the insecticide consumption.
“As his brother I am dismissing [rumors] that Ki Galang died because of insecticide. He died because of a heart attack,” Saputra told local media outlets.
Saputra explained that Ki Galang died at a local hospital in Jimbaran, and that there is proof of a medical record showing his cause of death was due to a heart attack.
In addition, the viral video Ki Galang is known for was taken at least two years ago, according to Saputra.
“After that he never did it again because, from our family, we did not allow him to consume insecticide,” Saputra said.
