Food kiosk owner, Abdul Shemim supplied food cooked with toilet water to Sabarimala pilgrims [ Kerala, India ]

[ Reported as seen ]

During the peak season of pilgrimage, a food kiosk owned by a guy named Abdul Shemim in Erumeli has been caught supplying food cooked with toilet water to Sabarimala pilgrims. Notably, Erumeli is located among the pathways leading to Kerala’s famed Sabarimala shrine. Upon closer examination, it was discovered that the store was getting its water for making tea and lime juice from a hose connected to the nearby lavatory.

Images from the scene, as reported by Republic TV, revealed the presence of a blue pipe that connected the store selling the drinks to the nearby lavatory. The plumbing ran up to the shop and emerged from the toilet’s grill.

At first, the store owner said that the toilet water was never used for cooking—it was just for dishwashing. Recorded evidence, however, indicated different. The Health Department and the Revenue Vigilance Squad then filed a complaint against Abdul Shehim.

During an examination, Ayyappa Seva Sangh discovered the unhygienic practise. A bad stench began to permeate the area, raising first concerns about the restaurant’s unsanitary conditions. After conducting an inspection, the Ayyappa Seva Sangh discovered that Abdul Shehim, the youth wing of CPIM, was also running the food stand. Abdul Shehim is the local secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). It was also disclosed that Abdul Shehim had been cooking for Lord Ayyappa followers for around two weeks using toilet water.

The Revenue and Health departments then carried out a joint inspection, and the store received a stop note. Charge Officer Deputy Tehsildar Biju G. Nair of the Erumeli Revenue Special Squad reports that more inspections have been scheduled for the upcoming days, and the inquiry is still underway. He made it clear that the food stall owner was not the only one held accountable, threatening legal action against the contractor who had permitted the hose connection from the bathroom tap.

The store was reportedly given a temporary licence to sell inedibles, although it was also breaking that law. An alert squad from the revenue department caught a food stall vendor in the process of using a hose to get water from the toilet pipe to prepare food for Sabarimala pilgrims, according to a story on Manorama Online. The health authorities acted quickly, closing the makeshift store and filing lawsuits against the licence holder.