Sweet treat turns bitter: Lizard tail found in Havmor ice cream cone; woman hospitalised, brand fined ₹50,000

Mint

15-05-2025

A routine ice cream treat turned into a horrifying ordeal for a woman in Ahmedabad after she allegedly discovered parts of a dead lizard inside a cone she had already begun eating. The incident, which occurred recently in the city's Maninagar area, has led to swift regulatory action against both the vendor and the manufacturer, reported NDTV.
In a video posted on social media platform X, the woman recounted the disturbing experience. She said she had purchased four cones of Havmor brand ice cream from Mahalaxmi Corner, a shop in Maninagar, for herself and her children. While she was halfway through one of the cones, she noticed something unusual embedded within the remaining ice cream — what appeared to be the severed tail of a lizard.
'We had bought four cones. We found this in one of the cones,' she said, holding the lizard tail in the video. 'I have been vomiting constantly. Thankfully, my children did not eat this. If something happens, we will file a case against the company. Please check the products first before consuming anything.'
Soon after the discovery, she began experiencing severe stomach pain and bouts of vomiting. She was rushed to a nearby hospital where she continues to receive treatment, local officials told NDTV.
The incident triggered an immediate response from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). A team from the food department inspected Mahalaxmi Corner and found that the outlet did not possess a valid licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act. Consequently, the shop was sealed and operations suspended.
Bhavin Joshi, a senior food department official, said, 'We received a complaint regarding a lizard found in an ice cream cone in the Maninagar area through the media. We immediately contacted the woman and learned the ice cream cones were purchased from Mahalaxmi Corner. Upon inspection, the outlet was found to be operating without a food safety licence, and was sealed immediately.'
Further investigation traced the contaminated ice cream cone to a batch manufactured at Havmor Ice Cream Pvt Ltd's production facility in Naroda GIDC Phase 1. Food safety officials collected samples from the same batch and sent them for laboratory testing. Meanwhile, the company has been directed to recall the entire batch from the market as a precautionary measure.
Additionally, a penalty of ₹ 50,000 has been imposed on Havmor for lapses under food safety regulations. The company has yet to issue a public statement.
Havmor officials have assured that stringent action will be taken following the test results, and a deeper audit into the manufacturing unit may follow if negligence is confirmed.