Hyderabad – A disturbing incident at a popular eatery on Sagar Road in Ibrahimpatnam has raised serious concerns about food safety. A customer, Gujja Krishna Reddy, was horrified to discover a lizard in his plate of biryani while dining at Mehfil restaurant.
Reddy immediately reported the situation to the restaurant staff. Instead of addressing the issue seriously, a staff member reportedly joked, saying, “It’s nicely fried, you can eat it.” This careless comment only made the situation worse.
Angered by the response, Reddy filed a formal complaint at the Ibrahimpatnam police station. The police acted quickly, detaining the restaurant manager for questioning and launching an investigation.
Officials from the health and food safety department are expected to inspect the restaurant. They will check if the establishment follows proper hygiene and the standards set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
This shocking event has sparked public outrage. Many locals are urging the authorities to conduct surprise checks at busy restaurants across the city. They want to ensure that food is prepared in clean and safe environments.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time such an incident has occurred in Hyderabad. In December 2024, a resident from Amberpet claimed to have found a lizard in chicken biryani ordered through Zomato. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) investigated that case.
In another alarming episode from December 2023, at least eight people fell ill after eating biryani allegedly containing a lizard’s tail. That incident also raised serious concerns about restaurant hygiene across the city.
These repeated cases point to a larger issue of poor food safety controls. Authorities are now under pressure to tighten inspections and enforce stricter hygiene standards in restaurants.
