{
  "id": 8252641,
  "title": "Row over insect in food: hotel owner alleges conspiracy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/row-over-insect-in-food-hotel-owner-alleges-conspiracy",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T13:43:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/row-over-insect-in-food-hotel-owner-alleges-conspiracy/article71480352.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A hotel owner in Kunnamangalam has accused three men of deliberately placing an insect in the food they were served at the establishment in a late September incident. Rafiq, the hotel owner, submitted CCTV footage to the police to support his claim, and the matter prompted an investigation. The hotel was temporarily closed after videos showing the insect in the food were circulated on social media. It was later reopened after the owner provided food safety certificates. One of the men named in the complaint, Anwar, denied the allegations, stating that the CCTV footage was edited. The police are now investigating the incident, but the authenticity of Rafiq's claims and Anwar's counterclaims remain unverified. A local coordination committee from the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi protested in Kunnamangalam, alleging attempts to tarnish the hotel owner's reputation and blackmail him for money.",
  "summary": "Seeking action against three suspects, he submitted CCTV visuals from the hotel where three men were allegedly found placing the insect in the food ahead of locking horns with the hotel management",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}