

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: A woman got the shock of her life on Wednesday morning when she found an unusual and nauseating ingredient in her pea curry: a dead snake hatchling.

The finding led to the closure of the Medical College Teachers' Co-operative Society canteen, which served the dish. After finding worms and millipedes from food items, it is the turn of snake.

The dead snake was found in the appam-curry set ordered (as parcel) by a patient at Medical College hospital here for the breakfast.Food safety officials closed down Medical College Teachers' Co-operative Society canteen following a complaint.

Nedumangadu-based V Omana found the snake in the curry only after her son ate some portion of the curry and left the rest for her. Shocked to see the worm-like creature in the curry, Omana approached a doctor at the hospital. The doctor informed that it was a young snake. Soon, Omana informed food safety officials.

The food safety wing led by Satish Kumar collected the samples and sent them to laboratory. "It looked like a worm at first. Later we confirmed that it was a young snake. We have inspected the canteen and sealed it. The samples and the snake were sent to laboratory for analysis," Satish Kumar said.

A food safety official said that the matter was serious and they won't allow the canteen to open. "Once we get the lab report, we will file a detailed report to food safety commissioner and Medical College superintend," the official said.

Barring the mental shock, Omana and her son did not complain of any health problems, the official said.

A senior doctor at the Medical College hospital said that some private parties were functioning under the name of Medical College teachers' society, but the teachers had no role in it.

"A number of unauthorised canteens is functioning on the campus. Most of them function with the support of local politicians. When Usha Titus was the special health secretary, some steps were taken to regularise canteens. The Medical College Teachers' Co-operative Society has nothing to do with Medical College teachers. Some local politicians are behind the canteen. The Medical College is planning to give IRCTC the contract to run the canteen on the campus," said a doctor on condition of anonymity.

The canteen was functioning near the old superintend office on the campus. The food safety official said the hygienic condition of the canteen and the premises was not satisfactory.

