GHMC Seizes Rotten Meat From Old City Shop

Hyderabad: The police on Thursday seized 12 tonnes of rotten sheep and goat offal, which is estimated to be worth over `10 lakh, from A to Z Mutton Offals, a shop-cum-storage unit at Chisti Chaman Dargah under Mangalhat police station limits.

The raid was conducted by Mangalhat police, Golconda Task Force, Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) and GHMC officials, after they received reports of the shop supplying rotten sheep and goat offal to caterers and function halls for huge profit.

This was the second raid within a month on A to Z Mutton Offals. During the first raid on March 10, the officials had seized 300 kg of rotten meat from the outlet and arrested its owner, Md Afroz. The 43-year-old outlet’s owner, a resident of Amanagar and a repeat offender, is absconding, and special teams have been formed to trace him.

Police sources had disclosed that Afroz was involved in a racket, and he has been supplying meat to several prominent hotels, restaurants and caterers across the state. Police are identifying hotels and outlets that received the meat.

During the Thursday operation, police arrested the shop manager who allegedly assisted Afroz in procuring and storing spoiled offal. Additional DCP (task force) Ande Srinivasa Rao said the manager confessed to sourcing stale meat at low cost and preserving it for a long time for further supply.

According to police, Afroz sourced low-quality and decomposed meat from states including Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir and Maharashtra, transported it to the city, and ran an illegal supply chain catering to hotels, restaurants and function halls, posing a public health risk.

Investigators said the accused used stagnant water to suppress foul smell and delay decomposition before selling the spoiled meat as fresh. Samples were collected and sent to FSl for forensic examination, with officials suspecting the use of harmful preservatives.

In a public health alert, officials have asked people to be cautious about purchasing meat products. “We are committed to taking stringent action against those who endanger public health for profit,” officials stated.

Though mutton paya, boti, and chops are irresistible for meat lovers, a GHMC official said they should find out the reality behind the aroma of such dishes served in some eateries in the city.

DCP Srinivasa Rao said cases have been registered under Section 125,271,318(2),112 of BNS and handed over the accused to Mangalhat police station for further investigation.