- Two fruit sellers in Malad West were arrested for applying rat poison to fruits for sale
- Police acted after a complaint and video evidence showed vendors using a toxic rat-killing product
- The substance found was Ratol, containing harmful chemicals like yellow phosphorus
Two fruit sellers in Mumbai's Malad West area have been arrested after a video appeared to show them applying rat poison to fruits offered for sale.
The incident came to light on Wednesday when police from Malad took action following a complaint from a local resident, accompanied by video evidence. Officers recovered a substance identified as Ratol -- a commercially available rat-killing product containing toxic chemicals such as yellow phosphorus -- from the vendors' roadside stall, which has since been sealed.
The accused, named in police reports as Manoj Sangamlal Kesarwani (42) and Rahul Sadanlal Kesarwani (25), both residents of Rajanpada in Malad West, were produced before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Borivali later the same day.
According to the police, the vendors admitted to using the substance to deter rats from damaging their stock overnight. But health officials and experts have warned that applying such a highly toxic compound to edible items poses severe risks, including vomiting, abdominal pain, organ damage and potentially fatal poisoning if ingested.
The video, which circulated rapidly on social media platforms, captured one of the vendors handling bananas while appearing to spread the cream-like product, heightening alarm among residents already vigilant about street food hygiene.
Local residents have called for stricter and more frequent inspections by food safety authorities, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), to prevent similar practices. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Investigations are continuing.
