DINDIGUL: A tea shop was shut by food safety officials after a centipede was found in a ‘vada’ in Dindigul town on Wednesday. A fine of `3,000 was also levied on the shopkeeper.
According to sources, one Buela (21) and her friend Ashwathi (19) of NGO Colony in Dindigul town visited a tea shop in their locality and purchased some ‘vadas’. When they returned home, Buela was feeding the vada to her 2.5-year-old son when she found a live centipede.
The duo took the food items back to the tea shop, but the shopkeeper refused to acknowledge the presence of the centipede and argued. However, he later accepted the allegations and refunded them.
The women felt uncomfortable about finding the worm in the food and visited the Dindigul Medical College Hospital for a medical checkup and left after receiving first-aid.
Meanwhile, a team of food safety officials took food samples from the shop and removed the remaining food stock.
Speaking to TNIE, an official from the Dindigul Medical College Hospital said, "The three patients — two women and a 2.5-year-old boy reached our facility for suspected poisoning. They received first aid and their health condition was stable. They were treated as outpatients and discharged, and were told to visit the next day for pediatric consultation for the child and gynaecologist’s consultation for the women.”
An official from the food safety department told TNIE, "We have ordered the shop to be closed for two days after we found that the shop had carried out renovation work some days ago. Even though we have taken the samples for testing, we have levied a fine of Rs 3,000 on the facility. Based on the lab report, appropriate action will be taken."