Cockroach in Food, Hygiene off the Menu at Indira Canteen?

A shocking video shows dead insects in the food, served allegedly at an Indira Canteen in the Bengaluru.

Indira Canteen.

(Photo: Arun Dev/The Quint)

A shocking video is doing the rounds in Bengaluru: There are dead insects in the food, served allegedly at an Indira Canteen in the city. The video is being circulated since Saturday, raising serious concerns about food safety at these government-run canteens – but now, the BBMP authorities have claimed that the insects weren’t there in the food served by them. They were put there by the opposition BJP, they allege.

This is the video that is being circulated:

Reacting to the video, the BBMP has approached the police, calling it a “deliberate attempt to defame the canteen.” In fact, Bengaluru Mayor R Sampath Raj has said that there are CCTV visuals which show two men placing the dead insects in the food. The video is an attempt to malign the image of the Indira Canteen project taken up by the Congress government, the Mayor said.

“The food served is stale and unhygienic. Cockroach and insects were found in the food,” one of the men in the video is heard saying, while another man says, “Instead of serving food with cockroaches and insects, it is better they close these canteens down.”

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"According to me, the video is not genuine. People who cannot digest the success of Indira Canteen could have brought a cockroach and an insect and put them in the food, just to tarnish our good work," the mayor told Deccan Chronicle.

"We have submitted the footage to the cyber crime police as well so that they determine the facts. But we are ready for any probe,” The Hindu quoted him as saying.

Cockroach found in the food served at Indira Canteen in Bengaluru.(Screenshot:ANI)

Kamakshipalya police in Bengaluru has registered an FIR against four men — the one who uploaded the video online, and the other three alleging failure on part of the government to provide hygienic food. Two of them have been arrested.

The video was reportedly first uploaded on Facebook group “Right to Fight” on Saturday at 7:15 am.

A senior officer told The Hindu that a case was filed under Section 504 of the Indian Penal Code (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and other sections.

Brijesh Kalappa, the Congress’s national spokesperson, also suggested the involvement of Opposition BJP in the matter.

Also Read: Indira Canteens Function Without FSSAI Licence in Karnataka