'World's dirtiest man' who 'smoked dung' and 'ate roadkill' dies aged 94 after taking first bath in 50 years
25 October 2022, 16:33
A man labelled 'the world's dirtiest' has died aged 94 after taking his first bath in more than half a century, according to reports.
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Iranian man Amou Haji had avoided eating fresh food and washing because he was afraid of falling ill and incurring bad luck, according to local news agency IRNA.
He has previously said that he chose this way of life after experiencing "emotional setbacks" as a young man.
Mr Haji, who was reportedly unmarried and had unusual habits like smoking five cigarettes at once, eating rotten roadkill and smoking animal dung in a pipe, lived in the remote village of Dejgah in the southern province of Fars.
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"A few months ago, villagers had taken him to a bathroom to wash," IRNA reported.“Not long after, he fell ill and finally, on Sunday… he gave up his life.”
Villagers had reportedly taken him to wash out of concern that he was lonely and hoping that cleaning him would help him find a female companion.
He had reportedly become an object of curiosity for locals, with people posting videos of him online.
Villagers had also built a cinder block hut for Mr Haji, who had previously slept in a hole in the ground.
Despite his unorthodox habits - which also reportedly included drinking five litres of water a day collected from puddles - he had been in good health.
A team of doctors from Iranian capital Tehran visited him earlier this year and found that he was only suffering from a bacteria infection called trichinosis, from eating raw meat.
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They believed that his health was strong because his lifestyle had helped him develop an extremely effective immune system.
A documentary was made about him in 2013 called 'The Strange Life of Amou Haji'.
