Two autorickshaw drivers have been arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly dropping a cockroach in the food served in the state government's flagship programme 'Indira Canteen', to seek 'publicity', police said.
Hemanth and Devaraj, along with two others went to have meals at Indira Canteen in Kamakshipalya on Friday and created a ruckus when they 'found' a cockroach in the meals, police said, adding, they threatened people serving food there besides urging people not to eat there.
Police said the CCTV cameras installed inside the canteen purportedly showed Hemanth bringing the cockroach with him and putting it in the food.
Devaraj reportedly knew this fact but yet he supported Hemanth's claim, according to police.
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City civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which is executing the programme in the city, handed over the video footage to police and lodged a complaint against Hemanth and his friends.
"We have arrested Hemanth and Devaraj. They are autorickshaw drivers from Kamakshipalya. During interrogation they revealed that they did it to seek publicity," a police official said.
He said they were not affiliated to any political party.
The state government launched the Indira canteens on August 15 offering food at subsidised rates. Breakfast and meals are served at Rs 5 and Rs 10 respectively.
Presently, the scheme is being implemented in Bengaluru municipal limits.
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Based on its success, Indira Canteens will be set up in 246 district and taluk headquarters from January 1.
