FIR Lodged as Noida Buckwheat Flour Sickens Dozens on Mahashivratri
FIR Lodged as Noida Buckwheat Flour Sickens Dozens on Mahashivratri
Police file an FIR against a shop owner after buckwheat flour sold in Noida sickens hundreds on Mahashivratri; warehouse sealed and samples sent for testing.
An FIR was registered against a shop owner after buckwheat flour reportedly made several Noida residents ill during Mahashivratri celebrations. Police said the illnesses were reported from three housing societies — Supertech Ecovillage-3, Royal Court Society and Himalaya Pride Society — after people consumed buckwheat flour bought for the fast. The first complaints reached a private hospital on Feb 16, prompting the Bisrakh police to involve the Food Safety Department.
A joint inspection of outlets in the three societies led to the sealing of Prashant General Store in Royal Court Society, where irregularities were found in the buckwheat flour supply chain. Investigators traced the batch to a warehouse operated by HD Spices in Chipiyana village, with its storage facility located in Chipiyana Buzurg. The warehouse was sealed and samples collected from the stock for laboratory testing as part of the ongoing probe. Four people, including the warehouse owner, have been detained as officers piece together how the flour reached consumers.
The Food Department and police said the inquiry is being conducted under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Officials stressed that quality checks would continue across shops dealing in buckwheat flour to prevent a recurrence and to protect residents during festive periods. The episode has raised questions about supply chain oversight and food safety practices in the area, with authorities assuring residents that all possible steps are being taken to identify the source and ensure accountability.
