Rats at IIT? Video of rodents at IIT Roorkee kitchen go viral, institute clarifies

Not just the next generation of brilliant minds reside at IIT Roorkee. Plenty of rats do too. A video of an army of rats infesting the pots and other utensils at the kitchen of IIT (Indian Institute Of Technology) Roorkee mess has taken the Internet by shock. Students at Radha-Krishna Bhawan, Uttarakhand Institute, shared videos claiming they found rats in the mess kitchen.

According to the students, they discovered rodents in rice bags, a frying pan, and water-filled pots meant for cooking. When students arrived for lunch on Thursday afternoon and some entered the kitchen, they were shocked to see rats scurrying around, realizing they might have consumed rat-contaminated food. The incident quickly spread through the institute, prompting hundreds of students to gather outside the mess and stage a protest, demanding action over the unhygienic kitchen conditions.

IIT Roorkee Denies Allegations, Calls Video Misleading
In response, IIT Roorkee denied the claims, calling the video misleading. The institute's statement clarified that a preliminary investigation revealed the footage was taken by students late at night in a section of the mess where only empty utensils and non-food items were stored. They emphasized that no food was contaminated, suggesting the videos were an attempt to misrepresent the situation.

IIT Roorkee के मेस के खाने मैं मिले चूहे। वीडियो मैं देखें…#iitroorkee pic.twitter.com/os0CK8Qgc0

— Neha Bohra (@neha_suyal) October 17, 2024

The institute acknowledged the incident and launched a formal investigation. Sonika Shrivastava, IIT Roorkee's media in-charge, told India Today that an immediate inquiry was initiated, and corrective measures are being taken to ensure strict hygiene standards are maintained. She further added that external experts have been brought in to assess the situation and prevent future incidents, with the health and safety of students being a top priority.