Mumbai News: Finger Found In Ice Cream Belonged To 24-Yr-Old Pune Factory Worker; Read Full Details

DNA testing has revealed that a human finger discovered in an ice cream recently belonged to a worker from the ice cream company’s factory in Indapur, Pune, according to officials.

Malad police received a forensic report confirming that the finger belonged to 24-year-old Omkar Pote, the officials said, adding that a notice will be sent to the factory worker.

The police collected blood samples from all fruit feeder operators last Saturday and sent them for medical examination to determine if any major diseases were present. On Monday, the police received the blood test results, which confirmed that the worker has no disease.

On June 12, Dr Brendan Ferrao, 26, a Malad resident, discovered a finger in his ice cream and approached the police. A case was registered under Sections 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code on June 13. The police later registered a case against officials related to Yummo Ice Creams.

The police formed five teams and started the investigation. A team reached the Indapur factory where the ice cream was manufactured. The police learned that a 24-year-old worker’s finger had been severed in a dry fruit feeder machine at the Natural Dairy Company in Indapur. The police suspected that the finger found in the ice cream belonged to this worker. DNA and medical examinations were conducted on him, and the report was sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory. On June 27, the police received the report confirming that the severed human thumb in the cone belonged to the worker.

The ice cream was manufactured a month ago. After production, it was transported to a godown in Hadapsar, then to Sakinaka, and then to Bhiwandi before finally reaching the Malad godown and being delivered to Dr Ferrao. The police have investigated five locations. No one in the Indapur factory officially reported the accident. The worker received treatment at a private hospital.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has already suspended the licence of the Pune-based ice cream manufacturer pending investigation. The company earlier provided a statement to The Free Press Journal, stating: “Product quality and safety are our highest priority. We have stopped manufacturing at this third-party facility. We have isolated the affected product at the facility and our warehouses and are in the process of doing the same at the market level. We are a law-abiding company and shall fully cooperate and support the authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly.”

Dr Ferrao ordered ice creams on an app on June 12. While consuming a cone, he found a two-centimetre human thumb lodged in it. “After I finished half of the ice cream, a big hard piece came under my teeth. I thought it was a piece of chocolate. I removed it from my mouth and saw that it was a piece of a human body. Being a doctor, I recognised that it was human,” he said.

Timeline Of The Event

June 12: Part of a human finger found in an ice cream

June 13: FIR lodged against officials related to Yummo Ice Crea

June 14: Police start investigation, form five teams

June 14: Ice cream manufacturer releases statement, stops manufacturing at third-party facility

June 16: FSSAI suspends Pune ice cream manufacturer’s licence

June 17: Investigation reveals a worker’s finger part was severed during work at the factory

June 17: Police conduct DNA and medical examinations on the worker, send the report to the Forensic Science Laboratory

June 22: Police collect the worker’s blood sample

June 24: Report reveals worker has no disease

June 27: Forensic report confirms the finger part belongs to the worker