Woman Finds 'Cockroach' In Her Meal, Accuses Restaurant Staff Of 'Harassing' Her

A woman had an unexpected and unpleasant experience at the New Capitol Hotel restaurant situated on Bengaluru’s Raj Bhavan Road on January 4. She ordered a meal, specifically paneer butter masala, only to discover a “cockroach” in it. This unsettling incident adds to a series of concerns among consumers about encountering bugs in their food.

According to a report in NewsFirstPrime, the woman, identified as Sara, a lawyer, had visited the restaurant for lunch. The shocking discovery of the cockroach prompted her immediate action. Sara promptly contacted local authorities, including the police and food inspection units, to report the matter. Additionally, she utilised her phone to capture images of the restaurant’s kitchen, aiming to document the unexpected find.

While trying to document the kitchen conditions, Sara allegedly faced resistance. The incident occurred at a private hotel on Thimmaiah Circle, within the jurisdiction of the Vidhan Soudha police station. The paneer butter masala, Sara’s chosen dish, was unfortunately compromised by the presence of a “cockroach”, prompting her to reach out to emergency services (112) to address the issue.

The matter was escalated to the food inspector, who subsequently visited the restaurant to investigate. During the inspector’s visit, a video was recorded as evidence. However, this effort was met with hostility as the inspector was allegedly pushed by the restaurant’s staff, creating a tense situation. Police Sergeant Shekhar H. Tekkannavar confirmed an ongoing investigation into the incident.

A formal complaint was filed against the eatery, specifically naming two of its officials, citing multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code. This instance is part of a recent trend where consumers have reported discovering insects in their food, particularly associated with online food delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy. The incident is reminiscent of a prior case where a Zomato customer in Bengaluru found a cockroach in the fried rice they had ordered in December.

This event has raised concerns about food safety and hygiene standards at various eateries, prompting a call for stricter regulations and vigilance among food establishments to ensure the quality and safety of the food they serve to customers.

X (formerly Twitter) user Harshitha recounted her ordeal in a video post, describing how she discovered a cockroach in her chicken fried rice from the city’s “Tapri by the corner” eatery.

In order to investigate the matter, Zomato contacted the woman and requested her phone number or order ID.