Manipur police detain two for ripening green bananas with harmful chemicals
A viral video led to the investigation, and authorities are now working to identify the supplier of the chemicals.
Bananas (Source: Freepik)
Imphal, Jan 18: The Manipur Police picked up a man and a woman on charges of using harmful chemicals to ripen green bananas at Khwairamband Keithel the main markets located in the State capital.
However, the duo was later released "after necessary process".
The incident came to light after a video went viral on Facebook, in which the man and the woman were seen dipping green bananas in a watery solution suspected to contain harmful chemicals. These bananas were sold in the market on January 15.
Immediately thereafter, the City Police Station formed a team to probe the matter and the woman seen in the video was detained, a police release stated today.
The woman was identified as Merai Ibecha Begum (66), a resident of Sora village in Kakching district. Begum identified the other person as Md Maniruddin, a worker.
"On January 16, Md Maniruddin 40) of Yairipok Kaina Poirou Khongjil in Imphal East district was also detained by the City Police Station," added the police release.
"As per their version, one unknown lady had come on January 14 at around 7 am to supply the bananas and she gave Ibecha some chemicals for ripening the bananas. Ibecha hired the labourer, Maniruddin, to wash the bananas in the solution," the release stated.
Later, Begum and Maniruddin were produced before the SDM, Imphal West district. "The Magistrate bound them under Section 128 BNSS and they were released by the Magistrate after necessary process," the police statement said.
"Efforts are on to identify the unknown lady (vegetable wholesale supplier) who has given the chemical to Merai Ibecha Begum for ripening the green bananas."
Meanwhile, a special drive to generate awareness against the use of chemicals and about the harmful effect on human health has been launched at Khwairamband Keithel and its surrounding areas. The public has also been urged to contact the department concerned and the police if such activities take place in any of the markets or other areas.
As a token of acknowledgement for reporting such unscrupulous activities, the two women - Preety Thang- jam and M Shantibala Devi - who uploaded the video on the social media, received gifts from the City Police Station here today.