Hyderabad Police have set up a team, named Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST), led by Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar, to enhance food safety enforcement. This team will closely collaborate with Food Safety officers to combat food adulteration effectively. H-FAST, consisting of 28 personnel including Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors, will focus on monitoring, detection, and prosecution of offenses related to unsafe food.
The unit was inaugurated by Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunath, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Task Force, to establish an intelligence-driven mechanism against food adulteration. The team will conduct raids in coordination with Food Safety officers to ensure strict enforcement through effective cooperation. A dedicated toll-free number, 8712661212, has been launched for the public to report cases of food adulteration and unsafe food practices.
Officials stress that food adulteration poses a significant risk to public health and will be dealt with zero tolerance. Stringent legal actions will be taken against offenders. Citizens are urged to stay vigilant and report any suspicious food-related activities promptly. The establishment of this unit follows recent incidents where police uncovered an adulterated pickle manufacturing unit and raided stores selling adulterated paneer and dairy products.
The Commissioner’s Task Force, Khairtabad Zone Team, in collaboration with the Food Security officer of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, conducted raids on six wholesale and retail stores near Ganj Bazar, Secunderabad. They arrested six individuals involved in procuring and selling adulterated or unhygienic paneer and dairy products in bulk to food catering services, hotels, and customers in need. In a separate incident, Kulsumpura Police dismantled an illegal and unhygienic pickle manufacturing unit in Jiyaguda, arresting two people for producing and selling adulterated pickles without a valid license.
