Yahya Hallare
Daijiworld Media Network - Bhatkal (KK)
Bhatkal, Apr 24: In the third such incident reported in Bhatkal, a creature resembling a dead baby snake was found in a Frooti juice tetra pack here on Wednesday April 23.
On previous two occasions, dead baby snakes were found in Maa juice tetra packs in a shop and in a school in Bhatkal.
The latest incident was reported at Nishat Hospital in Bhatkal. The episode came to light after relatives of a woman who had delivered a baby came to visit her and were served sweets and Frooti juice. The patient's family had bought three cartons of Frooti juice from Siddique pharmacy. The first carton was opened and the juice was distributed.
A young girl among the visitors, identified as Razia, was given a pack and she began drinking from it, but after a few minutes she realized that though there was juice left in the pack she could not get it through the straw. The straw was removed only to find a dead reptile inside the pack. Razia started vomiting and people from the other rooms rushed to see what was going on.
As the news spread, locals also came to the hospital.
The people tried to contact the assistant commissioner, Bhatkal tahsildar and the food inspector but all the officials were out of station on April 23.
Bhatkal town PSI Subanna along with local officers arrived at the hospital.
The food inspectors of Karwar and Sirsi Vikashi Bhat and Dr Jagdeesh visited Bhatkal later and instructed the tahsildar to investigate the case.
A case has been registered.
The locals expressed shock at the incident and said that they were sorry to see such incidents happen with such a company of repute. "The company makes tall claims in its advertisements, but when such incidents take place what can people possibly do. How can we trust any packaged drink to be safe?" they said.
Last time, after the reptile was found in the Maa juice packs, the company was closed its operations in Bhatkal.