Two men were detained in Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar on Tuesday, accused of selling pomegranate juice laced with harmful chemicals. The police were alerted to the alleged adulteration after receiving a tip about suspicious practices at the juice shop. Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered a substance that was suspected of being chemically hazardous. The substance has been sent to a laboratory for detailed analysis to determine its composition and potential health risks.
The two men, identified as Ayub Khan and Rahul, were employees at the juice shop. When questioned, they claimed that they had been acting under the direction of the shop owner, Shoaib, who allegedly instructed them to add the chemical to the juice. According to Khan and Rahul, the owner had given specific orders to adulterate the juice with the substance to presumably enhance its appearance or prolong its shelf life.
In response to the situation, a Food Safety Inspector was called to the scene to take a sample of the suspicious substance for further testing. The results of this analysis will guide any legal action against the parties involved. The police have stated that the next steps in the investigation will depend on the findings from the laboratory.
The involvement of the shop owner, Shoaib, is a critical element of the case, as the two detained men have placed the blame on him for instructing them to use the chemical. If the laboratory tests confirm the presence of harmful substances, charges could be pressed not only against the two men but also against Shoaib, depending on the level of his involvement.
This incident is not the first of its kind in the region. Public outrage over food adulteration has been growing, with locals expressing increasing frustration and concern over the safety of consumables. In the case of the Rajinder Nagar juice shop, emotions ran high, and before the police arrived, both Khan and Rahul were reportedly assaulted by locals who had heard about the alleged adulteration. The confrontation highlights the public’s growing intolerance toward such dangerous practices.
The case has echoes of previous incidents in nearby regions. Just weeks earlier, a shopkeeper in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, was reportedly beaten by locals after being caught allegedly serving fruit juices mixed with urine. In another shocking incident in March, a kulfi and ice-cream vendor in Telangana was arrested for reportedly mixing semen into falooda, a popular Indian dessert. Both cases sparked widespread outrage on social media and drew attention to the need for stronger regulations and enforcement of food safety laws.
The Delhi police are continuing their investigation into the Rajinder Nagar case, with the results of the chemical analysis expected to be a key factor in determining the legal consequences for the individuals involved. Meanwhile, the incident has raised concerns about food safety in the region, with many calling for stricter inspections and harsher penalties for those found guilty of adulterating food and beverages.
Authorities have vowed to take appropriate action once the test results are confirmed. The Delhi Food Safety Department has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that such incidents are dealt with swiftly and that public health is safeguarded.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Ankur Deka/MSM)