After 'plastic egg', 'plastic rice' fear spreads in India

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After a brief encounter with "artificial eggs" made of "plastic" and adulterated milk, India is now dealing with rumours of alleged sale of "plastic rice".

According to a report in Times of India, the rumours mills were buzzing in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday with stories of 'plastic rice' being sold at grocery stores.

Two days after a customer found plastic rice being used at a biryani joint in Saroornagar in Hyderabad, another person at Meerpet area approached the police on Tuesday claiming that the rice he bought at a grocery store turned out to be a plastic.

Subsequently, authorities raided the shop in question and seized samples.

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The person in Saroornagar area was a TV journalist, who was attacked by a hotel owner and aides after his complaint about plastic rice in 'biryani'.

The food and civil supplies officials have said none of the samples they have tested contained any plastic rice, but the rice had been polished with chemicals used beyond permissible levels.

Meanwhile, rumours mongers went on overdrive and took to social media to spread fear of plastic rice was being sold on a large-scale at various stores in Andhra Pradesh triggering panic among the public, the reported stated.

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The publication quoted Meerpet police as saying that Ashok, a resident of Nandanavanam colony, complained that for the last several days, he and his family members have been suffering from various health problems like stomach ache, pain in hands and legs and later found that the rice served to him by his wife was mashed and unedible.

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An alleged incident of plastic rice sale was also reported in the temple town of Srisailam in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.