Drive against illegal sale of Oxytocin, one arrested

Varanasi, July 25 (UNI) As part of a special drive to check the illegal sale of Oxytocin injections, raids were conducted at four separate places here today followed by the arrest of one person.

A team led by Chief Veterinary Officer B B Singh raided an animal fodder shop in the Shivpur area and arrested the owner of the shop Shrawan Kumar Gupta while selling the Oxytocin vial not bearing the manufacture label.

An associate of the arrested shop owner, however, managed to escape, official sources said.

Later, the Shivpur police registered a case against two persons including Gupta.

Meanwhile, another team led by SDM (Pindra) Ravindra conducted raids at three medicine shops in the Badagaon area. During the raid it was found that owners of the three medicine shops were selling the injections without medical prescription in violation of the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

Cases were later registered at Badagaon police station against the owners of the medicine shops, including Bachche Lal Maurya and Ramakant Singh, sources added.

The district administration has also recommended Chief Medical Officer to cancel the drug licences of the concerned medical shops.

Oxytocin, a hormone available in the form of a medical drug enlisted in Schedule H of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, is used as a facilitator for milk production among humans as well as animals.

The drug available in the form of injections can only be sold by authorised medicine shops on presentation of prescription of registered medical/veterinary practioners.

Of late, the injections are being sold like over the counter drugs to milkmen who are using Oxytocin to enhance the milk production of cows and buffaloes oblivious of the fact that it was affecting the quality of milk, sources said.

UNI