Hyderabad: In yet another instance of food safety concerns gripping the city, a cockroach was allegedly discovered in a Mandi dish at a popular restaurant in Malakpet. The incident came to light on Sunday when a diner found the insect in his meal and shared footage of the unhygienic discovery on social media.

In the video, which has since gone viral, the cockroach is clearly visible within the rice served at the establishment. The complainant alleged that the restaurant staff initially refused to take responsibility for the contaminated food. However, online reports suggest that the customer did not immediately alert the restaurant owner at the time of the incident, opting instead to document the grievance digitally.

Responding to the widespread circulation of the video, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) confirmed that the matter has been noted and officially brought to the attention of the Assistant Food Controller.

The incident follows a string of enforcement drives by the Task Force teams of the Telangana Food Safety Department. Recent raids on high-profile restaurants across the city have repeatedly uncovered alarming conditions, including the use of unsanitary utensils, widespread cockroach and housefly infestations, and the storage of expired ingredients.

Despite frequent seizures, the issuance of notices, and the collection of food samples for laboratory testing, hygiene violations appear to persist at several outlets. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to penalising offenders, but the recurring nature of these complaints has raised questions regarding the effectiveness of current deterrents in ensuring public health safety.