A bizarre incident at a Bhopal university canteen has triggered outrage after students alleged finding a lizard in their food — only for a staff member to eat it and brush off the claim by calling it capsicum.

The incident, reported from the canteen of Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV), dates back to March 18. Students who were eating there said they noticed something unusual in a vegetable dish, which they believed to be a dead lizard. They then informed the canteen staff about it.
What followed only intensified the confusion and anger. According to the students, a staff member picked up the suspected piece, ate it in front of them, and insisted it was nothing more than capsicum, according to a report by India Today.
The moment, captured on video, has since spread widely on social media, drawing sharp reactions. However, HT could not independently verify the claim in the viral video.
As the clip gained traction, the university administration stepped in. Authorities have now formed a committee to look into the matter and verify what exactly happened. RGPV Director Sudhir Bhadoria assured that student health remains a priority and said strict action would be taken if any negligence is established.
Meanwhile, the canteen operator has rejected the allegations outright, maintaining that the item in question was indeed capsicum.
In a separate incident, a dead lizard was found inside a ‘chocobar’ ice cream in Giaspura, after which local health officials on Monday issued a penalty on the manufacturer for failing to maintain hygiene standards in the production facility, earlier HT reported.
A seven-year-old found the dead reptile in the ice cream purchased from a roadside vendor. As the contaminated ice cream had been partially consumed by the child, he had to be provided prompt medical help. However, he was reported to be fine upon reaching a nearby clinic.

