Yet another case of spitting on food items has emerged from the popular tourist destination of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. The incident, which occurred on October 8, involves Naushad Ali and Hasan Ali, who allegedly spat into a teapot before threatening and abusing a tourist who confronted them. The two men, who run a food stall in Mussoorie, have since gone into hiding, and police are actively searching for them.
The matter came to light when a tourist, Himanshu Bishnoi from the Nehrugram Police Station area in Raipur district, caught the act on camera and filed a complaint. A First Information Report was later registered.
According to Bishnoi’s statement in the FIR, on September 29, while on holiday in Mussoorie, he visited the bustling Mussoorie Library Chowk (also known as Gandhi Chowk) around 6:30 AM. He stopped at a food stall where the accused were selling tea, Maggi, and other snacks. Bishnoi had tea at the stall and, while capturing the scenic surroundings with his camera, accidentally recorded Naushad Ali spitting into the teapot.
When Bishnoi confronted the men about their unsanitary actions, they not only refused to apologise but also began abusing and threatening him. According to the complaint, the accused warned Bishnoi to leave and threatened to murder him, stating they would “dispose of his body where no one would find it.” Local residents reportedly identified the man who spat in the teapot as Naushad Ali, while Hasan Ali, another worker at the stall, appeared when Bishnoi paid for his tea via a digital transaction. Both men are sons of Sher Ali, with Naushad hailing from Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, and Hasan from Kitabghar in Mussoorie.
Due to prior commitments, Bishnoi was unable to file the complaint immediately but later sent an email to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) office, detailing the incident. In his complaint, Bishnoi accused the two men of endangering public health and attempting to incite religious tensions. He emphasised that their actions had the potential to disrupt the communal harmony of the area. He demanded strict legal action against the perpetrators for compromising the health of tourists and locals alike and for their attempts to provoke religious sentiments.
Based on the FIR police booked Naushad Ali and Hasan Ali under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include Section 196(1)(b) for inciting enmity between different groups, Section 274 for food adulteration, Section 299 for the protection of religious sentiments, Section 351 for criminal intimidation, and Section 352 for intentional insults aimed at breaching the peace.
The police have assured that an active investigation is underway and that both accused will be arrested very soon. “We are doing everything possible to locate the suspects, and we will ensure swift action,” said a senior police official involved in the case.
This incident is part of a growing trend of similar cases reported across India, where individuals have been caught spitting on food items. Such acts not only pose significant health risks but also have the potential to inflame communal tensions in sensitive regions.
