Do not say you weren’t warned!

[goodboy_mentor]

Paani puri vendor in Thane detained for peeing into a utensil he otherwise used to serve customers; let off with Rs 1,200 fine and a warning.

If you’re one of the millions in this city who get their kicks out of its street food, the tastelessness of this story is sure to piss you off.

A 59-year-old paani puri vendor in Naupada (near Thane) was detained on Thursday for - and no one could make this up - peeing into a small utensil that he otherwise used to serve his customers.

Rajdev Lakhan Chauhan, who has been serving chaat in Bhaskar Colony in Naupada for four years, was picked up by cops after a resident captured the rather disgusting act on camera from a nearby balcony.

Whistle-blower Ankita Rane, a 19-year-old student, was shocked when she first spotted Chauhan urinating into his lota. “His stall is right below our building. Though there were rumours of him being quite gross, his stall was always flooded with customers,” she said. “Since I had nothing to do after my exams, I started keeping an eye on him.

Every day, he’d pee into the utensil and then use the same to pour tangy water into the ragda or stir the paani puri mix. Some customers even used that lota to drink water once they had finished eating.”

When she told her family members and neighbours, however, they refused to believe her. When residents in the area saw the video she had recorded, they first beat up Chauhan before taking him to the police station.

“Residents of Bhaskar Colony came up with a video clip that showed Chauhan urinating in one of his utensils. We arrested him on Monday night and he confessed. His excuse was that he had nowhere else to pee as there was no urinal around,” Police Inspector Hemant Sawant said, adding that Chauhan said he felt uncomfortable peeing on the streets as Bhaskar Colony was a clean, residential area.

The police were, however, confused about what section to book Chauhan under. “In the end, all we could book him under was the Bombay Police act for urinating in public places,” Sawant said.

On Tuesday morning, Chauhan was produced in a lower court in Thane where, having pleaded guilty, he was fined Rs 1200 and let off with a warning. Chauhan’s residence in Raghunath Nagar, Waghle Estate, was locked.

Around Naupada, the residents are still recovering. Rahul Joshi, another resident from the building, said that Chauhan was quite disgusting even if his toilet breaks were ignored.

“We have seen him scratching himself or picking his nose if no one was around. I had always asked my friends to refrain from eating there, but they were so hooked to the taste that they rubbished whatever we said.”

Another resident, Dilip Rane said, “We found that he had a liquor bottle hidden under his stall. How do you belive any one now. We never really run hygiene checks on such stall owners when we feel like eating spicy chaat. Vada pav and paani puri are two things all of Mumbai is hooked on to. This incident might change things for me though.”

The Thane Municipal Corporation said they were trying to get vendors under an umbrella body so hygiene levels could be monitored.

“This is a shocking incident,” said B G Pawar, Deputy Commissioner (hawkers), TMC. “As far as this pani puri vendor is concerned, this case should be taken up by the health department.” The health department was unavailable for comment.

Source: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/2 ... arned.html

[airgun_novice]

Aha - my wife certainly loved to eat those paani-puris in Naupada area, a little further from the illustrious vendor in the news. This incident and news (in details) shook her up so much that she's given up visiting (and dragging me along) paani-puri vendors totally. So something good has come out of it. .

On a more serious note, sad that Thane police could not find any suitable "kalam" under which to book him. Does he have a valid license to operate his bussiness ? Has he complied with every rule set by the TMC wrt setting up a food joint and selling food products ? Does he have Shop Act ? Does he pay out rent (the *legal* type with rent receipt issued by TMC) for his stall ? How about his IT returns ? How about endangering public life unless His Holiness' urine has the same medicinal properties as those of Mother Cow ? etc. etc. When it comes to white-collared folks, the same cops can literally throw the rule book in the face and rattle off all the "kalams" applicable without even opening a single page of the IPC and such books. Anyway, good job by the college girl.

[nagarifle]

what a piss poor story GM

[timmy]

This story seems to add new meaning to the term "a going concern."

[The Doc]

This story seems to add new meaning to the term "a going concern."

[sonny]

Friends,
worst was to follow.mumbai president of BJP..hon mr. raj purohit called the girl who shot that episode a girl of loose moral character.He said only a girl who is worse than a girl from red light area could film a man peeing.
This may have missed you all because our english/main line news channels either didnt report or down played this news
I personally saw those clippings on star majha ,where that politician was grilled by the editor

[hvj1]

This is the first time I have heard of piss hitting the fan

[airgun_novice]

Friends,
worst was to follow.mumbai president of BJP..hon mr. raj purohit called the girl who shot that episode a girl of loose moral character.He said only a girl who is worse than a girl from red light area could film a man peeing.
This may have missed you all because our english/main line news channels either didnt report or down played this news
I personally saw those clippings on star majha ,where that politician was grilled by the editor

A true pity when such words are uttered. Such politicians (irrespective of affiliations) must be force-fed such specially treated paani-puris, periodically. Assumption is (of course) that Star Mazha reported "unedited" contents. BTW, English media missed reporting something negative on BJP ??? That's a new one. They certainly are losing their sheen.

-- Tue May 10, 2011 11:10 am --

This is the first time I have heard of piss hitting the fan

Now that's a new one Most of us specialize in "hitting the pan". BTW, this phrase reminded me of Rancho's (3-Idiots) first day at Engg college.

[timmy]

He said only a girl who is worse than a girl from red light area could film a man peeing.

BTW, this phase reminded me of Rancho's (3-Idiots) first day at Engg college.

When I put these two quotes together, am I to get the impression that "mr. raj purohit" expected Ankita to duplicate Rancho's feat and wire up Mr. Chauhan's cup to the mains, rather than taking a picture?

[dr.jayakumar]

Disgusting,had seen it on you tube.he should be made to drink his pee!

[grewal]

This episode of facts is really disgusting. One should refrain from eating at food joints which cannot maintain hygiene.

Aha - my wife certainly loved to eat those paani-puris in Naupada area

Strange to hear this from the husband himself.

On a more serious note, sad that Thane police could not find any suitable "kalam" under which to book him.

There are so may Acts under which he could have been booked. He could have been booked under Crpc, Food adulteration act, immoral activity.

[alfaromeo17]

talk about chef attacks. Criminal really and sounds demented all the way. This guy should be taken to task so that an example can be set for others indulging in such practices after all u go to people like these on trust and gud will.

[airgun_novice]

This episode of facts is really disgusting. One should refrain from eating at food joints which cannot maintain hygiene.

Aha - my wife certainly loved to eat those paani-puris in Naupada area

Strange to hear this from the husband himself.

On a more serious note, sad that Thane police could not find any suitable "kalam" under which to book him.

There are so may Acts under which he could have been booked. He could have been booked under Crpc, Food adulteration act, immoral activity.

grewal, what's strange about it ? Naupada area is as big as Gaffar Market/ Karol Baug area of Delhi or may be bigger. Now imagine womenfolk crowding to eat "gol-gappas" there with their husbands in tow (most probably holding shopping bags). The "area" would have a lot more than ONE gol-gappa vendor, right ? Similarly in Naupada... The "area" is a happening place with many stalls/ hotels/ vendors. Nopes - nothing strange about the hubby who is happy that his wife has given up the gol-gappas, err, paani-puris, in Naupada because this incident happened in its remote corner.

[kalashnikovcult]

chalo atleast those who have eaten his pani puri got 'vaccinated' now they won't face health issues eating at another stall who might be peeing in the 'pani' he dips the puris in !

[kenhypno]

now i know why they are called Pani puris! my friends suggested that we have bhel i saw the lota the dreaded lota !! and after a few days was admitted to a nursing home! without even eating it!see how power of suggestion works!

ps. and later on i heard he quit and went to selling flowers,might be sprinkling it with his p** too?