Breakfast of engines: Man in Karnataka swaps meals for motor oil

Dubai: In one of the most unusual viral stories to emerge from India, a man from Karnataka’s Shivamogga district has stunned the internet by claiming to live not on regular meals, but on engine oil and tea.

Nicknamed “Oil Kumar,” the man has gained attention after a video surfaced on Instagram showing him refusing conventional food offered by onlookers. Instead, he raises a plastic bottle filled with what he insists is black motor oil and drinks it with ease.

According to the viral post, Kumar has allegedly followed this bizarre dietary habit for more than three decades. “For the past 33 years, Shivamogga’s Oil Kumar has amazed the world by living without food. Instead of rice or chapati, his daily diet includes 7–8 litres of waste engine oil and tea,” the video caption read.

The extraordinary claim has shocked social media users, with many expressing disbelief while others turned it into a stream of memes and jokes about being “fuelled for life.” Despite the risks, reports claim that Kumar has never required hospitalisation or suffered major health issues.

Medical experts, however, strongly caution against believing such practices are safe. Engine oil is a petroleum-based product that is highly toxic to humans and can cause life-threatening damage to vital organs.

The video continues to circulate widely, sparking both curiosity and concern, and turning “Oil Kumar” into an unexpected viral sensation across India.

Note/Disclaimer:

This story is based on a viral video. Ingesting engine oil is hazardous and can be fatal. Do not attempt or imitate this behaviour.