Coimbatore: The city police seized around 250.07kg of yellow cow dung powder containing chemicals including auramine from six shops in the city on Thursday.Chemical cow dung powder, commonly available in the Coimbatore-Erode belt, is a major contributor to deaths caused by poisoning because of its high toxicity. Thursday’s crackdown follows a sudden spike in suicides involving the consumption of cow dung powder in the city and its surroundings.When police began investigating shops selling the powder, they found some shops in Variety Hall selling it in bulk to retail shops in the city. Police raided several shops and seized the cow dung powder from six shops. They also registered cases against 12 people.It is illegal to stock without permission, any product that can endanger human lives. “We raided more than 10 shops, and we want to ensure that cow dung powder is not available anywhere. Due to its easy availability, several children consume it by mistake, while people who intend to die by suicide also use it.”
