Two individuals, Ibecha Begum (66) and Md. Maniruddin (40), residents of Imphal East, were arrested on Thursday for allegedly using harmful chemicals to ripen bananas at Khwairamband Keithel. The arrests followed public outrage triggered by a viral social media video exposing their actions.
The video, posted on Facebook on January 15, 2025, showed a man and a woman dipping green bananas in a suspicious liquid before selling them at the Naga Nala area behind Ngari Gali, Thangal Bazar. Acting on the viral footage, the Officer-in-Charge of City Police Station formed a team to investigate the matter.
Later that day, police detained Ibecha Begum from Naga Nala Pareng near Ngari Gali. She identified herself as a resident of Sora Mamang Leikai, Kakching District, and disclosed that her accomplice was a laborer named Md. Maniruddin. On January 16, 2025, police also detained Maniruddin.
The investigation revealed that Ibecha Begum had received the chemical from an unidentified woman on January 14, 2025. She admitted to hiring Maniruddin to assist in washing the bananas with the chemical solution.
Both individuals were presented before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Imphal West on January 16. They were warned under Section 128 of the BNSS Act and released on bail as first-time offenders.
Authorities have condemned the use of harmful chemicals in food products, highlighting the serious health risks to consumers. Efforts are ongoing to identify the unknown supplier of the chemicals. Meanwhile, an awareness campaign has been launched in Khwairamband Keithel to educate vendors and the public on the dangers of such practices.