Insect Found In Khichdi At Ahmedabad's The Hocco Kitchen; Rs 5,000 Fine Imposed
This episode comes as Gujarat has intensified its crackdown on food safety violations. Recent inspection drives have led to the disposal of over 600 kg of substandard food, with multiple establishments facing penalties.
Ahmedabad: A viral video from the iconic 1944 The Hocco Kitchen in Ahmedabad has raised fresh concerns over food hygiene after a customer allegedly found an insect in a serving of khichdi at the well-known eatery. The customer reportedly recorded and shared the clip online, triggering outrage and some punitive steps taken by the authorities.
Complaint Triggers Civic Action
The matter reached the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) after a formal complaint was lodged. Dr. Tejas Shah, who heads the civic body’s food department, confirmed that officials inspected the restaurant and verified the presence of the insect in the served food.
Following the inspection, authorities penalised the restaurant with a Rs 5,000 fine and issued a notice, instructing it to ensure stricter hygiene practices.
Why The Penalty Was Limited
According to AMC officials, the restaurant had already implemented pest control measures and was largely adhering to existing norms. Since no major violations were found beyond the isolated incident, authorities opted for a relatively lower penalty. They noted that in more serious cases, fines can go up to Rs 50,000.
Statewide Crackdown on Food Safety
This episode comes as Gujarat has intensified its crackdown on food safety violations. Recent inspection drives have led to the disposal of over 600 kg of substandard food, with multiple establishments facing penalties. Authorities have warned that repeated lapses could attract tougher action going forward.
Chef Eats Lizard
In a similar incident, recently a chef ate a lizard, claiming it is capsicum, after a student found the suspicious item while eating at a hostel mess in the University Institute of Technology (UIT), Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
A video of the incident went viral on social media, raising concerns over the safety of food being served to students at the prominent government engineering college. The video showed a male student noticing a lizard in his meal while eating, following which he exclaimed “Chipkali!” He immediately brought the matter to the attention of the staffers at the mess, asking, "Bhai sahab ye kya hai? (What is this brother?)"
The mess staff dismissed his complaint, saying, “Shimla mirch hai yaar...arey yaar kaise baat kar raha hai...shimla mirch hai (It is capsicum).” The student kept on insisting that it was a lizard and he could see his legs and eyes.
Published By : Satyaki Baidya
Published On: 5 April 2026 at 18:32 IST