Rajasthan’s Food Safety Department destroyed about 1.5 lakh kilograms of expired food products after cracking down on a local distribution company that purchased Amul-branded items just before their sell-by date and sold them by tampering with the packaging labels, reports stated on Tuesday. A team of medical and health officials raided a warehouse in Jaipur, seizing nearly 12,000 cartons of expired goods, according to reports. (Photo courtesy of HT File/Representative Image). The operation came after a complaint lodged through the state government’s 181 helpline about suspicious activities at M/s Athlete Distributor in the Kho Nagorian area, according to The Times of India. Principal Secretary for Health, Gayatri Rathore, stated that the complaint was lodged via the department’s helpline. A team under the leadership of the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) of Jaipur-II conducted a raid on the warehouse, seizing approximately 12,000 cartons of expired products such as noodles, ketchup, mayonnaise, and energy drinks. The warehouse was running under suspicious circumstances, as neighbors noted that after 10 to 12 workers entered, the main gate stayed closed all day, food safety commissioner T Shubhmangala reportedly stated. Investigators also discovered bottles of thinner, acetone, and other chemicals used to remove printed dates from about 3,000 cartons, reported The Indian Express. Authorities also discovered 4,500 fresh Amul-branded cartons meant for repackaging the expired stock. Additional commissioner Bhagwat Singh claimed that the firm’s operator, Gagan Ahuja, “admitted” learning the technique of changing expiry dates to offload outdated items from YouTube videos. The expired goods were destroyed over four days. Twenty-seven trucks were needed to haul the goods to a dumping yard, at the distributor’s cost. Authorities were still probing how many, if any, of these items remained in circulation. The products were made by the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union in Gujarat and supplied by Advansis India Private Limited. Company representatives confirmed that expiry dates had been removed and stated that Ahuja typically bought near-expiry items at steep discounts, according to the TOI report. Amul has yet to respond to the news coverage. Officials noted that the warehouse has been sealed and the company prohibited from food business activities. 

 Rajasthan’s Food Safety Department destroyed about 1.5 lakh kilograms of expired food products after cracking down on a local distribution company that purchased Amul-branded items just before their sell-by date and sold them by tampering with the packaging labels, reports stated on Tuesday. A team of medical and health officials raided a warehouse in Jaipur, seizing nearly 12,000 cartons of expired goods, according to reports. (Photo courtesy of HT File/Representative Image). The operation came after a complaint lodged through the state government’s 181 helpline about suspicious activities at M/s Athlete Distributor in the Kho Nagorian area, according to The Times of India. Principal Secretary for Health, Gayatri Rathore, stated that the complaint was lodged via the department’s helpline. A team under the leadership of the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) of Jaipur-II conducted a raid on the warehouse, seizing approximately 12,000 cartons of expired products such as noodles, ketchup, mayonnaise, and energy drinks. The warehouse was running under suspicious circumstances, as neighbors noted that after 10 to 12 workers entered, the main gate stayed closed all day, food safety commissioner T Shubhmangala reportedly stated. Investigators also discovered bottles of thinner, acetone, and other chemicals used to remove printed dates from about 3,000 cartons, reported The Indian Express. Authorities also discovered 4,500 fresh Amul-branded cartons meant for repackaging the expired stock. Additional commissioner Bhagwat Singh claimed that the firm’s operator, Gagan Ahuja, “admitted” learning the technique of changing expiry dates to offload outdated items from YouTube videos. The expired goods were destroyed over four days. Twenty-seven trucks were needed to haul the goods to a dumping yard, at the distributor’s cost. Authorities were still probing how many, if any, of these items remained in circulation. The products were made by the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union in Gujarat and supplied by Advansis India Private Limited. Company representatives confirmed that expiry dates had been removed and stated that Ahuja typically bought near-expiry items at steep discounts, according to the TOI report. Amul has yet to respond to the news coverage. Officials noted that the warehouse has been sealed and the company prohibited from food business activities. 

 Approximately four million stray cattle in Madhya Pradesh will receive unique 12-digit saffron tags to distinguish them from domestic animals and aid the government in better management. The tags are being issued under the Bharat Pashudhan project. (Photo by HT/For illustration purposes). According to the State Crime Record Bureau’s data for 2024 and 2023, stray cattle caused 237 road accidents, resulting in 94 fatalities and 133 injuries. Farmers have raised concerns over stray cattle ruining crops, particularly in the Kharif season. The tags are designed to incorporate stray cattle into the Unique Animal Identification system. We encountered issues scanning the tags on the cattle. The new color would simplify identification. The state had requested color-coded tags from the Centre, and approval has been received in principle, additional chief secretary (animal husbandry) Umakant Umrao said. A second official noted that the new tags will be issued under the Bharat Pashudhan project, an initiative of the National Digital Livestock Mission aimed at digitizing the country’s livestock. Every stray or destitute cow residing in shelter homes will receive a unique 12-digit saffron tag. 

 Approximately four million stray cattle in Madhya Pradesh will receive unique 12-digit saffron tags to distinguish them from domestic animals and aid the government in better management. The tags are being issued under the Bharat Pashudhan project. (Photo by HT/For illustration purposes). According to the State Crime Record Bureau’s data for 2024 and 2023, stray cattle caused 237 road accidents, resulting in 94 fatalities and 133 injuries. Farmers have raised concerns over stray cattle ruining crops, particularly in the Kharif season. The tags are designed to incorporate stray cattle into the Unique Animal Identification system. We encountered issues scanning the tags on the cattle. The new color would simplify identification. The state had requested color-coded tags from the Centre, and approval has been received in principle, additional chief secretary (animal husbandry) Umakant Umrao said. A second official noted that the new tags will be issued under the Bharat Pashudhan project, an initiative of the National Digital Livestock Mission aimed at digitizing the country’s livestock. Every stray or destitute cow residing in shelter homes will receive a unique 12-digit saffron tag. 

 Two individuals were killed by police gunfire in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, on Tuesday amid an ongoing night curfew imposed due to protests against non-tribal candidates’ participation in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections set for April 10, according to police. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Kongkal Sangma on Saturday. (@SangmaConrad) The two deaths led authorities to enforce a 24-hour curfew, request an Army flag march, and send in more forces as tensions kept spreading across the plains belt. “I respectfully request the Army’s assistance to conduct a flag march in the plain belt areas of West Garo Hills district, given the current tense law and order situation,” wrote West Garo Hills district magistrate Vibhor Aggarwal to the Commanding Officer of 101 Area, Eastern Command. Aggarwal stated that deploying armed forces would significantly reassure the public, prevent additional incidents, and rebuild residents’ confidence. He added that a flag march would act as “a clear show of readiness and dedication to upholding peace and stability.” The unrest started last week with the opening of nominations for GHADC elections, when the council required Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates for candidates, sparking both support and opposition throughout the region. Tensions escalated after protesters outside the deputy commissioner’s office in Tura reportedly blocked and assaulted former Phulbari MLA Esmatur Mominin as he tried to file his nomination, leading to demonstrations in the plains belt area. Police rescued the former MLA, who was observed limping and missing his left shoe as he entered a police vehicle. On Monday, tensions had escalated following vandalism of shops in Chibinang, prompting police to use blank firing to break up the crowds. The shooting took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning as security forces tried to break up a crowd amid curfew enforcement. Authorities report that security measures have been ramped up in high-risk zones, with police and district officials keeping a close watch on developments. The GHADC poll controversy has escalated into a full-blown law-and-order crisis in parts of West Garo Hills, marked by two deaths, curfew restrictions, vandalism, and demands for Army deployment, fueling worries over how the volatile situation could impact the lead-up to next month’s council elections.