Thrissur (Kerala): A disturbing incident was reported from a meat stall near Union Stop in Vendoor, where a local resident from Varakara found worms in meat purchased on Sunday morning. The matter quickly escalated when the concerned individual lodged a formal complaint.

Upon learning about the incident, the shop owner shut shop and vacated the premises before health and food safety officials arrived. When authorities reached the scene, the shop had already been locked.

Officials from the food safety department visited the complainant’s home and collected a sample of the meat for laboratory analysis.

Panchayat authorities said that the meat stall had been functioning without a valid license. The authorities also stated that this was not the first complaint against the stall. Past issues had also been reported, raising concerns about its continued operation.

Earlier, the shop was closed following a similar incident but it reopened a few days later. However, Panchayat President K. Rajeshwari has now announced that starting June 15, all fish and meat vendors in Alagappanagar must possess valid licenses to operate.

Health department officials confirmed that another inspection will take place on Monday to determine the next course of action.

In a separate but related development, Kanthari Thattukada at Pudukkad Centre was shut down two days earlier after a worm was found in the food served there.