Despite being told not to, a vegetable dealer in Bhopal continued to wash coriander leaves in drain water while being videotaped, smirking at the camera. The man filming the video continued warning the seller that his actions would make numerous people sick, but the vendor disregarded him and went on with his business.
In the video, the man could be heard telling the vendor that nobody would buy vegetables from him if they saw the video, but even that fell on deaf ears.
However, the video went viral and the Bhopal district administration took note. Soon after, a case was registered against the vendor.
The action came after District Collector Avinash Lavania’s Twitter handle was tagged in the video.
Lavania then directed the police, the municipal corporation and the food department to look into the matter and identify the accused.
On Tuesday, the police said the vendor was identified and his phone number and name had been traced. However, his phone was switched off.
By this time, the food department had an FIR lodged against the accused at the Hanuman Ganj police station.
According to Hanuman Ganj police station SHO Mahendra Singh Thakur, the man in the video was identified as Dharmendra.
The police said Dharmendra sold vegetables at the Nav Bahar vegetable market. “His address has been traced but he was not found at home and he will be nabbed soon,” police said.
The district collector has warned that anyone found indulging in such activities, that could endanger the lives of the citizens of the city, would be dealt with the provisions of the National Security Act. Sub Divisional Magistrates have also been directed to take preventive action.
