The controversy surrounding the type of meat seized at KSR Bengaluru Railway Station in July has been laid to rest with lab reports confirming it to be sheep meat and safe for consumption. Analysis by three different Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)-approved laboratories found the meat to be safe for consumption, with only one report indicating slightly elevated E.coli levels, which is still permissible under food safety regulations.
The row erupted on July 26 when murder-accused cow vigilante Puneet Kerehalli and his associates stormed the railway station, claiming the consignment from Jaipur contained dog meat. This triggered a commotion, leading to the seizure of 84 parcels of meat.
In response to the accusations that dog meat was being sold for consumption as other meat, and the ensuing media reports, the Karnataka Health Department had the meat samples tested. Officials identified 84 parcels of meat during the inspection, and samples were sent to the ICAR - National Meat Research Institute in Hyderabad for analysis. The reports confirmed that the meat was from Ovis Aries (sheep).
There were also concerns over the meat's safety due to its transportation from Jaipur to Bengaluru by train. The results showed that the meat samples were safe for consumption. However, one report did indicate that the level of E. coli bacteria was above the FSSAI-prescribed limits, though all other parameters were within acceptable standards. According to the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Appendix-B, Table-5, the elevated E. coli level does not prohibit the sale of the meat.
Three FIRS were filed by the Cottonpet police, two of which booked Puneet and his associates for various offences. The third FIR was about the alleged transport of dog meat.