Bengaluru Pani Puri Seller Arrested After Using Rotten Potatoes And Onions

A street food vendor in West Bengaluru was arrested after local residents uncovered his unsanitary practices in selling pani puri using spoiled ingredients and unsafe water. The incident took place near the Navarang Theatre, where Pavan Kumar had operated his cart for three years. His suspicious activities came to light when two locals, Keshav and his friend Vijay Kumar, observed him and decided to investigate further, according to The Times of India.

On September 29, Keshav, an autorickshaw driver, noticed Kumar collecting water from a nearby borewell tank. When confronted, Kumar claimed the water was for washing plates. However, Keshav remained skeptical and followed Kumar to his pushcart. Upon inspection, they discovered that he was using the contaminated borewell water to prepare the spiced water (pani) for the popular snack.

The situation grew more alarming when they found approximately 40 rotten potatoes and decayed onions in Kumar's supplies, alongside unwashed coriander leaves mixed into the pani, compromising the food's safety.

Outraged by the unsanitary conditions, Keshav reported the incident to the Basaveshwara Nagar police, who subsequently registered a case against Kumar under sections 271 and 272 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deal with actions likely to spread dangerous infections.

"I was shocked to learn that someone in our neighborhood had been selling unhygienic pani puri for the last three years. We immediately contacted the Basaveshwara Nagar police and turned Kumar over to them," Keshav stated.

Kumar was arrested and later granted bail but was warned by the police. Following this incident, Keshav has become more vigilant about checking the ingredients used by other roadside pani puri vendors in the area.