Chennai, Oct 14 (IANS): In a bizarre and shocking incident in Tamil Nadu's Salem district, a 74-year-old man was tied up and placed into a freezer box, from which he was rescued in a half-conscious stage, officials said on Wednesday.

Critically-ill Balasubramaniakumar was recently discharged from the hospital and his family members were waiting from him to breathe his last.

Balasubramaniakumar's younger brother Saravanan, 70, had hired the freezer box on Monday. The agency that gave the freezer box had told that they would take it back on Tuesday.

However, on Tuesday, the official from the agency got a shock when he saw Balasubramaniakumar alive, with his hands and legs tied, in the box with the lid closed.

Questioned, Saravanan had said his brother's soul is yet to leave his body.

The police were alerted and Balasubramaniakumar was taken to the government hospital for treatment.

"He is in a half-conscious stage. He was not in a condition of hypothermia when brought in. We are monitoring his condition. Various tests have been taken," Balajinathan, Dean of the Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College, told IANS.

He said that the younger brother was at the hospital on Wednesday.

The police have registered a case and are investigating.