Hyderabad police nab two fruit vendors for selling artificially-ripened mangoes in Mozamjahi market

HYDERABAD: The Commissioner's Task Force, South West Zone Team, and Sultan Bazar police raided two establishments, New Liberty Fruit Shop and Lucky Fruit Shop, in Hyderabad's Mozamjahi market, and nabbed two persons for selling artificially-ripened mangoes

The police arrested two fruit vendors, Irfan Khan and Mohd Hussain, found indulging in artificial ripening methods to ripen mangoes and seized ripened mangoes worth Rs. 3 Lakhs from their shops.

The duo supplied fruits for different occasions, but due to heavy demand for fruits during the current holy month of Ramzan and the marriage season, these fruit vendors used artificial ripeners like Ethylene to bring unripe fruits, especially mangoes, into the market.

In breach of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines, these vendors were found using illegal methods of storage and ripening mangoes, which are dangerous to humans, causing serious effects on public health such as respiratory and skin ailments.'

When used in excessive quantities, as in the current case of fruit vendors, these ripeners can cause health problems and other diseases. The accused persons were intentionally using harmful chemical substances illegally for their personal gain by cheating the innocent public and violating FSSAI Guidelines.

A case has been registered against the accused persons under Cr.no63/2024 u/s 420, 272, 273, 336 IPC of Sultan Bazar police station.

The police seized 18 trays of mangoes along with FYK Sachets, five packets of FYK Ethylene Ripener, and eight trays of mangoes along with FYK sachets seized from Lucky Fruit Shop, all worth Rs. 3,00,000.

The raid was supervised by various police officials, including S. Rashmi Perumal, Dy. Commissioner of Police, Task Force, South West Zone Inspector, SI's, Sultan Bazar police station SHO, SI G. Madhusudhan, and their staff.