Amritsar man finds dead lizard in pickle jar, food safety department vows action

An Amritsar customer alleged that he found a dead lizard in pickle bought near Ram Bagh. Food safety officials promised inspection, testing and legal action if violations are confirmed.Man finds dead lizard in 1-kg pickle jar bought from Amritsar shopAmritsar,Nov 4, 2026 01:13 ISTA shocking incident involving food safety has come to light in Punjab's Amritsar, where a customer allegedly found a dead lizard inside a jar of pickle purchased from a shop in the city's vegetable market, triggering outrage and raising concerns over hygiene standards in food products.The complainant, Comrade Charan Singh, a resident of Khalchian village, said he had purchased one kilogram of pickle from a shop near Ram Bagh in Amritsar on October 28. However, when he opened the container after reaching home and served the pickle to his family, he allegedly found a dead lizard inside it.Singh said the discovery could have had serious consequences if someone had unknowingly consumed the contaminated pickle. He accused shopkeepers of selling food items stored in open drums without adequate hygiene or safety measures, questioning the food safety department's monitoring of such establishments.He also questioned whether food safety inspections were being conducted regularly or whether authorities stepped up their checks only during festive seasons. COMPLAINANT SEEKS ACTION, WARNS CONSUMERSSingh said he had taken up the matter with senior officials and the media with the support of the Tarksheel Society to draw attention to the alleged negligence and prevent others from purchasing unsafe food products.He urged consumers to exercise caution while buying food items from markets and advised them to avoid purchasing loose pickle stored in open containers. He also suggested preparing pickle at home under hygienic conditions.FOOD SAFETY DEPARTMENT PROMISES STRICT ACTION Reacting to the incident, District Health Officer (DHO) and Designated Officer of the Food Safety Department, Dr Manjit Singh Rataul, said the department would immediately send a team to inspect the shop once it received the complete address and details of the establishment.Calling the complaint serious, Rataul said five food safety teams were currently operating in different parts of Amritsar as part of intensified inspections ahead of the festive season.He added that officials would collect samples of the pickle for testing. If the samples were found to be unsafe or failed to meet prescribed quality standards, strict legal action would be initiated against those responsible, including hefty penalties as provided under the law.Rataul said the department had been conducting raids on the directions of senior officials, including the Commissioner and Joint Commissioner of Food Safety.He also disclosed that samples collected during recent inspections had revealed quality violations in several food products, including khoya, paneer and sweets. Some of these samples were found to be unsafe, and action was being taken in accordance with the rules.OFFICIALS WARN AGAINST UNSAFE FOOD DURING FESTIVE SEASONThe food safety officer urged consumers to be careful while purchasing sweets and other food items during the festive season. He advised people to avoid sweets with excessively bright colours, particularly pink and green varieties, as well as products being sold at prices significantly lower than the usual market rates.He also cautioned against buying samosas, peas and other food items kept uncovered in shops, especially those exposed to flies.Rataul appealed to food vendors and shopkeepers to use good-quality raw materials while preparing sweets and other products and ensure that proper hygiene standards were maintained in kitchens and commercial establishments.Emphasising the need for greater public awareness, he said food safety should become a collective movement, with consumers actively refusing to purchase unhygienic or suspicious food products.- Ends