Recently in Ghaziabad, a domestic worker was caught in a video tampering with food using urine. The worker is now in police custody, sparking a discussion about the motives behind such actions. Viral videos have shown people spitting on food, and even mixing ice cream with semen. This issue extends beyond India, affecting regions like the USA and Europe too. Is this a subtle psychological disorder, or a deliberate act?
Caught in the Act
In April 2020, during the height of the COVID pandemic, a man in Missouri, USA, filmed himself licking items in a supermarket. He was arrested and charged with domestic terrorism as the incident went viral. Such behavior isn't confined to specific countries or just the pandemic era; food tampering has been a longstanding issue.
First Known Tampering: The Tylenol Scare
In September 1982, seven people died on a single day in Chicago after consuming Tylenol laced with cyanide. This case terrorized America, leading the manufacturer to recall its products from the market. Despite police and FBI efforts, the perpetrator was never caught, highlighting one of the earliest examples of product tampering. Since then, such events have increased, affecting not only medicines but food items too.
Source: aajtak
Pesticides Mixed in Meat
In December 2008, an employee in Byron Center, Michigan, began adding pesticides to hamburgers as a form of revenge against his supervisor. The contaminated food led to nearly 100 patrons falling ill. The employee admitted his actions were intended to tarnish his supervisor's reputation.
A Detective’s Sinister Acts
Even trusted professionals have been caught engaging in such conduct. A former Scotland Yard detective was arrested for inserting caustic soda, razor blades, and pins into a well-known company's baby food.
Social Media Challenges
In the West, social media challenges have exacerbated these acts. In 2017, a challenge titled “Peeing in the Food” encouraged participants to contaminate others' meals with urine and document the act. Numerous platforms hosted challenges promoting the contamination of food, stipulating that it be done to others' meals.
A New Form of Biological Warfare
Source: aajtak
In India, incidents involving the contamination of food through spitting, licking, or adding semen and urine are on the rise. This has been likened to a form of biological warfare, harboring potential threats of TB, hepatitis, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Rather than being an innate or gradually acquired psychological disorder, it reflects a conscious intent to disturb others, often targeting individuals with differing ideologies.
Police Introduce Anti-Spit Hoods
The frequency of such incidents has compelled police forces in Western countries to develop anti-spit hoods. These are used by police and security personnel on individuals who attempt to spit or bite during or after an arrest. Used in countries like the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia, these hoods are also seen in prisons and detention centers, particularly among individuals seeking asylum through illegal means.
Beyond local levels, such incidents have been observed on larger scales, including within professional settings. Employees disgruntled with employers may resort to these actions to harm reputations, particularly within the food industry, as a means of severe retaliation, rather than as a symptom of mental illness.
