A video clip. That’s all it took to set off a full-blown police investigation in Naharlagun.
Arunachal Pradesh Police have launched a formal probe into shocking allegations that chemicals are being used to artificially ripen bananas being sold in the Naharlagun market. The controversy erupted after a video, apparently showing the alleged practice, went viral on social media and sent residents into a quiet panic about what exactly they’ve been eating.
The Naharlagun-Itanagar Capital Region Superintendent of Police, Nyelam Nega, confirmed that the matter came to the attention of authorities on Tuesday after the video began circulating widely online. By Wednesday, the police had already moved — Naharlagun police station OC K Dev filed an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
That’s a fairly swift response, and it signals that the authorities aren’t taking this lightly.
But here’s where things get a bit complicated. While the video sparked immediate public outrage, SP Nega was careful to clarify that the actual nature and chemical composition of the substance shown in the clip have not yet been confirmed. “The exact nature and chemical composition of the substance depicted in the video are yet to be established, and will be determined through scientific examination and detailed investigation,” he said.
In other words, the video raised alarms — but what was actually used, and whether it’s truly harmful, is still being determined.
This matters because the practice of chemically ripening fruit isn’t entirely new in India. Calcium carbide is one of the most commonly used substances for artificial ripening, and it’s been banned under food safety regulations for years precisely because of the health risks it poses — from headaches and nausea to longer-term neurological concerns. Ethylene gas, on the other hand, is considered a safer alternative and is legally permitted in controlled quantities. The key question investigators now need to answer is: what was in that video, and does it cross the legal line?
Police say they are currently examining the substance allegedly shown in the footage to determine whether it was used for ripening bananas, and if so, whether that use violated food safety regulations. Authorities are expected to rely heavily on scientific examination alongside other evidence gathered during the investigation to pin down exactly what happened.
SP Nega was direct in issuing a warning to anyone found responsible. Any violation of food safety laws, he said, would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law. The investigation will also seek to identify the individuals involved in the alleged practice and establish a clear picture of the circumstances surrounding the use of the substance.
For people living in Naharlagun and the surrounding capital region, this hits close to home. Bananas are an everyday staple — cheap, available on almost every street corner, and consumed by families across all income groups. The idea that the fruit sitting in your kitchen might have been artificially treated with an unidentified chemical is unsettling, to say the least.
What makes this case particularly significant is how it unfolded — a single social media video, shared by ordinary citizens, triggered a formal FIR and a police investigation within days. It’s a reminder that public awareness, when channelled the right way, can hold the food supply chain accountable.
The investigation is now underway. Science will have the final word. And until then, that bunch of perfectly yellow bananas deserves a second look.
