Hyderabad Police will treat food adulteration as ''attempt to murder'': Commissioner Sajjanar

Hyderabad, Jan 7 (PTI) Hyderabad Police police would have a zero-tolerance policy towards food adulteration and treat it on par with "attempt to murder" as it directly endangers public health, Commissioner V C Sajjanar on Wednesday.

Presiding over a high-level coordination meeting, the Commissioner announced formation of specialised joint task forces comprising Police and Food Safety officials to root out "adulteration mafia", a release from Hyderabad Police said.

Tampering with public health will lead to stringent legal action, Sajjanar warned.

He said that food adulteration would no longer be viewed as a minor offence.

"We do not see this merely as a violation of safety norms; we will treat it on par with an attempt to murder as it directly endangers public health," he said.

The city Police chief further said that enforcement would not be limited to street vendors but would also target large-scale manufacturing and processing units.

To ensure a streamlined process, a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is being drafted, he said.

This framework will guide officials in conducting raids, collecting samples, seizing contaminated goods, and making arrests without any legal loopholes, he said.

"Habitual offenders would face the PD Act (Preventive Detention Act), and their trade licenses would be permanently revoked," the Commissioner warned.

He also announced that a dedicated WhatsApp number and a toll-free helpline would soon be launched. He assured citizens that the identity of informants would be kept strictly confidential. PTI VVK VVK SA