'Artificial Egg' Scare Returns To Odisha

Balasore: After a brief lull, allegations of artificial eggs sale have resurfaced in Odisha. This time, one Basant Mandal has alleged that fake eggs, which smelled of plastic, were being distributed by Mahulia Anganwadi centre in Jaleswar.

Though the concerned authorities could not be contacted to verify the allegations, locals are demanding a probe into the incident.

According to Mandal, he stumbled upon the artificial eggs when it took more time than usual to boil them. “Usually it is harder to crack the shell of a fresh egg. But in the particular batch of eggs, a safety pin can be easily pierced and the inner membrane just feels like rubber,” said Mandal.

Mandal further stated that all the seven eggs were received from the Anganwadi centre. “As there are a lot of videos on social media regarding availability of plastic eggs in market, I felt suspicious about these eggs,” he added.

“It would not be proper on my part to blame the Anganwadi worker as they do not manufacture eggs, rather they would have procured it from the local market. A detail probe needs to be conducted in this regard as such artificial eggs might pose serious threat to lives of children,” Mandal added.

It is not for the first time that artificial eggs have created a flutter in Odisha as such allegations were also earlier reported from different parts of the State.

Earlier, some students of Nayapalli in Bhubaneswar had lodged a police complaint over sale of plastic egg.