Pune: Human Thumb Found in Laddu, FDA Launches Probe into Shocking Incident at Ambegaon Tehsil Sweet Shop
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FDA calls it a serious threat to public health; samples collected, probe underway after family falls ill
In a deeply disturbing incident, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched an investigation after a human thumb was allegedly found in a laddu purchased from a sweet shop in Ambegaon tehsil, Pune district. The incident has raised serious concerns over food safety and hygiene standards, prompting swift action from authorities.
As per Hindustan Times report, the shocking discovery was made on June 1 when Ramchandra Potkule, a resident of Gohe Budruk village, bought 250 grams of laddu and some bhel from Nityanand Hotel, located in nearby Dimbhegaon. As his family began consuming the sweets at home, they reportedly found a human thumb embedded in one of the laddus. Soon after, several family members began experiencing nausea and dysentery, prompting a complaint to the FDA and an official probe on June 3.
According to preliminary findings, the severed thumb is believed to belong to the son of the hotel owner, Balu Bhokare. Investigators revealed that the youth suffered a gruesome injury while operating a laddu mixing machine. During the electric-powered mixing process, an unexpected power outage occurred. When the power resumed, his hand was tragically pulled into the machine, leading to the loss of part of his thumb. The machine had to be cut open to free his hand, and he was rushed to a hospital.
Shockingly, the entire batch of sweets prepared during the accident was not recalled. Instead, it was sold in the market, exposing unsuspecting consumers to a grave health hazard. Kailash Gengje, the sarpanch of Gohe Budruk, confirmed that no attempt was made to destroy or retrieve the contaminated batch following the incident.
Suresh Annapure, Joint Commissioner of the FDA, Pune Region, stated:
“Our team has questioned the hotel owner and staff to trace the full chain of events. This is a serious lapse. Strict action will follow upon completion of the probe.”
The incident in Pune comes close on the heels of a similar case in Mumbai, reported in June 2024, where a customer allegedly found a human finger in ice cream ordered online. That case led to the shutdown of Fortune Dairy Industries in Pune’s Indapur taluka, the identified supplier.
As investigations continue, the Pune FDA has reiterated that public safety remains its top priority and urged consumers to immediately report any unsafe or suspicious food items.
