Bengaluru: If you enjoy eating pani puri from roadside vendors, it’s crucial to be cautious. Two residents from West Bengaluru recently caught a pushcart vendor allegedly using spoilt ingredients and unsafe water for preparing pani puri. The vendor, Pavan Kumar, who has been selling near Navarang Theatre for three years, was arrested and later released on bail with a warning.
As per a TOI report, the incident came to light after autorickshaw driver Keshav spotted Kumar fetching water from a borewell tank on September 29. When questioned, Kumar claimed the water was for washing plates, but Keshav, who had seen him selling pani puri, grew suspicious. Along with his friend Vijay Kumar, he followed the vendor to his pushcart and caught him pouring the borewell water into the steel pot used for storing pani. The duo also discovered rotten potatoes and uncleaned coriander leaves mixed into the pani. Keshav said they found around 40 rotten potatoes and spoilt onions used for stuffing.
Keshav and Vijay expressed shock upon discovering that a vendor in their area had been selling unhygienic pani puri for the past three years. They immediately contacted the local police and reported the vendor, urging authorities to take action. Reportedly, the police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 271 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life).