Rats found in utensils, raw food in IIT Roorkee canteen, institute orders probe

A controversy erupted at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee in Uttarakhand after students found rats in raw food materials as well as cooking utensils in the mess of Radha-Krishna Bhawan.
The students, who shot a video of the rats inside the mess, claimed that they found the rodents inside rice sacks, a frying pan as well as a cooker which is used to prepare rice for the students.
The incident came to light on Thursday afternoon when the students reached the mess to have lunch. Some of them went to have a look at the kitchen from inside, where they saw two live rats roaming inside a frying pan.
At the sight of it, the students were stunned. They alleged that they were being fed rat-contaminated food, sources added.

Following the startling findings, hundreds of students gathered outside the mess and staged a protest, demanding action.
The students expressed frustration, saying that despite IIT-Roorkee being an institute of top repute, cleanliness and hygiene are not maintained there. The students said that they could have serious illness by eating food from the mess, highliting its present condition.
The students also raised slogans against the institute.
Meanwhile, IIT-Roorkee administration said that they have been made aware of the presence of rats in the mess of Radha-Krishna Bhawan and have ordered an investigation.
“Immediate investigation has been started, and corrective action is being taken to ensure compliance with hygiene standards. The health and safety of the students remains the top priority. External special experts have been engaged to assess the situation and prevent such incidents in future”, Sonika Shrivastava, IIT-Roorkee’s media in-charge said.
Srivastava also said that all necessary measures are being implemented to resolve the issue immediately, adding that the institute is committed to maintaining a safe and clean environment for all the students.
However, she denied allegations of irregularities in the operation of student dining facilities. “The Institute follows a strict and transparent process for all contractual agreements, ensuring compliance with government guidelines and regulations”, she asserted.
The institute’s media in-charge also refuted claims of unauthorised operations by any third party as ‘baseless’, saying that IIT Roorkee regularly monitors vendor activities to ensure compliance with all requirements, including food safety standards, and conducts regular checks to maintain the highest quality of services for students.
“We request all parties to refrain from circulating unverified information. The Institute is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and student welfare, and we will review any concerns raised with due diligence”, she added.