Police nab two, reward whistle-blowers
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 17 2025: As a gesture of encouragement for making the people aware about unethical trade practice of ripening green bananas by dipping it in chemical solution and uploading video of such malpractice on the social media, City police station on Friday presented gifts to Preety Thangjam (33) and Moirangthem Shantalembi (47) of Khurai Chingangbam Leikai at the station.

Imphal West district police additional SP (Ops) Moirangthem Amit presented gifts to the two individuals at a simple function attended by Imphal West additional SP (LO) Irom Rojit, Imphal SDPO Nongthombam Ingocha and City police station OC inspector N Gokulchandra.

In a release, OC Gokulchandra informed that on January 15, a video went viral on social media platform (Facebook) showing a man and a woman dipping raw bananas in a liquid/watery solution (suspected to be some harmful chemical) before selling them in a market place in Thangal Bazar.

Immediately, City police station officer in-charge formed a team and detained the man and woman shown in the video later identified as Merai Ibecha Begum (66), wife of Hesam of Sora Mamang Leikai presently residing at Yairipok Tulihal Kaina Poirou Khongjil, and Md Maniruddin (40), son of (L) Karimuddin, also of Yairipok Kaina Poirou Khongjil.

They disclosed that a lady supplied the bananas on January 14 around 7 am and handed over a chemical concoction to Ibecha for ripening the bananas.

Ibecha then engaged Maniruddin (labourer) to dip the bananas in the solution.

Both were produced before the Imphal West SDM and released with a stern warning against indulging in unfair trade practice.

Efforts are on to identify the unknown lady (vegetables wholesale supplier) who provided the chemical to Ibecha Begum for ripening the green bananas, the release added.

To prevent such acts in future, a special drive to spread awareness about the use of toxic chemicals and its harmful effect to the human body has been started around Khwairamband Keithel and its surrounding areas, the release continued, while appealing to the public to inform department concerned, including the police, in case of coming across unethical trade activities.

Comment