A heartbreaking event took place in Turkey, where a 15-year-old apprentice in a woodworking shop, Muhammed Kendirci, lost his life due to a brutal prank played by his colleagues. The incident happened in a woodworking facility in Sanliurfa, where Kendirci was reportedly overpowered by Habip Aksoy and another colleague. The pair allegedly bound the teenager’s hands, forcibly removed his trousers, and inserted an air compressor tube into his rectum, leading to severe internal injuries.
The high-pressure air hose, commonly used in tasks such as auto repair, sanding, and powering nail guns, has been linked to similar fatal incidents in the past. Following the incident, Kendirci was quickly transported to Harran University Research and Application Hospital. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, he passed away from his injuries five days later.
In the aftermath of the incident, Aksoy was taken into custody but was subsequently released on probation. He was later detained once more, although the specific charges against him have not been made public.
This is not the first time such a horrifying incident has taken place. In recent years, two other teenage boys have lost their lives in similar circumstances. In 2023, a 16-year-old factory worker in India, Motilal Sahu, succumbed to internal injuries after a co-worker inserted a compressed air hose into his rectum as a prank. The accused, Dheerajsingh Goud, allegedly used the hose from his cleaning machine, causing severe damage to Sahu’s intestines. Sahu collapsed on the factory floor and later died from his injuries.
In 2017, a similar incident occurred in Brazil. Wesner Moreira da Silva, a 17-year-old car wash worker, died after his colleagues inserted a high-pressure air hose into his rectum, causing his intestines to rupture. The culprits, Thiago Giovanni Demarco Sena and Willian Enrique Larrea, were later found guilty of rape and murder. They were sentenced to over 12 years in prison.
These incidents underscore the urgent need for more stringent safety measures and regulations in workplaces, particularly those that involve the use of potentially hazardous tools. They also highlight the importance of cultivating a respectful and safe work environment for all employees, regardless of their age or position.