- A video showed a display dustbin stained with gutkha spit in a Kanpur store
- Shopper @devotedindian found red stains inside a brand-new dustbin on sale
- The video sparked online outrage over public hygiene and civic sense in Kanpur
A video has surfaced online showing a display dustbin stained with gutka spit at a retail store in Kanpur. The disgusting discovery was made by a man shopping at a store at Mr DIY mall. He was shocked to see a display dustbin filled with gutkha spit stains and residue, suggesting someone had used it as a real trash can. The shopper, identified by the social media handle @devotedindian, recorded himself lifting the lid of a brand-new dustbin kept on a display shelf for sale, only to find red-coloured stains inside.
He says in the video, "Bhai, mai hu DIY mein jo ki Kanpur mein hai. Mujhe ye bada accha laga… maine jaise hi esko khola hai, yaha koi apna kaam kar gaya hai (Brother, I am inside a DIY store in Kanpur. I liked this dustbin a lot, but the moment I opened it, someone has already done their work inside)." He points out, people just don't care and spit wherever they find a dustbin, and now someone's done it inside a store
"Bolo juban kesri. Kanpur will never change," the video was captioned on Instagram.
Watch the video here:
Social Media Reaction:
The video sparked widespread outrage online, with users criticising the lack of civic sense and public hygiene. Some sarcastically referred to Kanpur as the "City of Masala" due to the prevalence of such incidents. Some users suggested that the store should use CCTV footage to identify and ban the culprit.
One user wrote, "It should not be a proud thing for us; it's a shame for all Kanpur."
Another joked, "If you look at the positive side atleast dustbin ke andar kiya (At least it was done inside the dustbin)."
A third said, "The country needs only good education right now."
Gutkha, a harmful chewable tobacco product made from crushed areca nut, tobacco, and flavouring agents, has been officially banned in several states since 2012-13, including Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and others. These bans were imposed under the Food Safety and Standards Act due to mounting evidence linking gutkha consumption to serious health issues, especially oral cancer, gum disease, and other life-threatening conditions. Despite the ban, illegal production and sale of gutkha continue in many regions.
