Mumbai: In a disturbing incident not unfamiliar to Mumbai, Rajeev Shukla, a 35-year-old lawyer from Prayagraj, found himself hospitalised on January 8th after encountering a dead rat and cockroaches in his meal ordered from Barbeque Nation. The incident sheds light on the pressing issues surrounding food safety in online orders.
While exploring the city, Mr Shukla ordered a Classic Veg Meal Box Regular from the Barbeque Nation outlet in Worli, only to have his experience become a nightmarish ordeal when he discovered unwelcome additions in his dal makhani. This discovery led to immediate gastric distress and a hurried visit to the civic-run B Y L Nair Hospital.
Expressing his frustration and disgust, Mr Shukla reported that despite promptly complaining to Barbeque Nation, no representative from the restaurant visited him during his hospitalisation, leaving him to bear the burden of his medical costs.
In response, through the ‘Manoj CRS Team,’ Barbeque Nation issued apologies and assured that the regional team was actively addressing Mr Shukla’s concerns. However, this response failed to alleviate Mr Shukla’s grievances, prompting him to file a First Information Report against the Barbeque Nation outlet’s owner, manager, and chef at Nagpada Police Station.
This incident follows a similar case in Mumbai in August 2023, where Mr Anurag Singh, a Bank Executive, discovered a rat in his meal at Papa Pancho Da Dhaba in Bandra. This prior incident prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action against food outlets violating safety norms. However, officials were unavailable for comment on the recent Barbeque Nation case.