Toxic liquid passed off as water served in Puducherry Collectorate; Police complaint lodged

A bottle of drinking water servedat a meeting attended by the District Collector and othershere allegedly contained colourless toxic liquid, followingwhich a complaint was lodged with the police on Thursdayseeking a probe.

However, no one at the meeting consumed the substancepassed off as water, officials said.

Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi sent acopy of thecomplaint she received from the Collectorate to the media withthe remark: ''This is shocking.'' Collector Purva Garg held the official meeting in herchamber on Wednesday and the water bottle was supplied at themeeting by a personal staff member in her office.

The Collector found the bottle had colourless toxicliquid instead of water and directed her office to file acomplaint with the police.

The Special Officer in the collectorate lodged thecomplaint along with the one litre plasticbottle containingpackaged drinking water and sought an inquiry.

The complaint stated that the office of the DistrictMagistrate is a public dealing office (and) such incidentevokes suspicion with respect to the authority of the officeand also poses personal threat to the officer concerned.