THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Controversial naturopath Cherthala Mohanan Nair who marketed questionable products that claimed to provide full immunity against Covid, had tested positive for Covid following his death on Saturday.
His body will be cremated by following Covid protocol. Nair, better known as Mohanan Vaidyar, had fever and breathing difficulty for two days during his stay at a relative’s house in Thiruvananthapuram. He collapsed and was brought dead at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital on Saturday evening.
Till recently he promoted ‘immunity boosters’ that offered protection against Covid and he considered it better than taking vaccines. His stand against modern medicine made him a controversial and divisive figure. Despite the fan following, he was criticised by trained Ayurveda and Allopathic practitioners alike for negating the basic scientific knowledge on human body and diseases. He used to offer treatment for several diseases including cancer.
He was arrested for falsely claiming to cure Covid last year and the health department barred him from practicing. While Nair’s patients themselves came out against his treatment, he became infamous during the Nipah outbreak when he falsely claimed that the virus did not spread through bats.
A native of Kottarakara he shifted his base to Cherthala where he practised his own style of treatment for 20 years.
Police had registered a culpable homicide case against him for unscientific treatment that led to the death of an infant suffering from a rare metabolic disorder.
Nair used to operate clinics at various places in the state. He was also associated with Parabrahma ayurveda hospital and research center in Ambalapuzha which sold immunity boosters among other products.
Kerala State Drugs control Department took action against the centre for selling ‘Diabetic Cure', a drug claiming to cure diabetes, in January. The inspection also found that the ayurveda institute did not have the license to make the drug under Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940.