Durgapur: Massive tension gripped the New Market area in Bashirhat, North 24 Parganas district, after fungus and expired dates were found in some packets of laddoos purchased from a multinational company's franchise store. Police forces brought the situation under control. It is alleged that a person fell ill after consuming the laddoos.
BJP workers and supporters vandalized the shop. A traffic jam occurred in the area adjacent to New Market on Shaheed Dinesh Majumdar Road. The BJP had purchased eight boxes of laddoos to distribute on the occasion of Vijayadashami. While distributing, fungus was spotted in some laddoos, and some were found to be expired. One person fell ill after eating them. BJP leaders and workers questioned the shop owner in Natun Bazar, Bashirhat. As the dispute escalated, the shop was vandalized. The shop owner argued that the sweets were not sold from his shop. Following the conclusion of Durga Puja, the food department has stepped up monitoring of food quality. Food department officials raided several shops in Hingalganj, Bashirhat. Sweet shops, frying-snack shops, fast-food outlets, and biryani shops are being inspected to check food quality, cooking oil quality, use of artificial colors, and valid food licenses. It is not yet clear whether complaints regarding laddu quality and the cause of illness have been confirmed by official tests.
