Bhubaneswar, April 29 -- A troubling allegation emerged from Balipatana village under Chandbali block of Bhadrak district on Wednesday, after a beneficiary claimed that plastic rice had been mixed in the Public Distribution System (PDS) rice being given to people.

The concerned beneficiary, who is a recipient of the PDS rice, raised concerns about the unusual presence of white-coloured rice grains in the packet.

According to the complainant, when the rice is cooked in hot water, it turned red and became brittle when broken. The rice also emits an unusual smell during cooking, which has caused the beneficiary to fear eating it. The individual expressed his concern that the rice may be harmful and not suitable for consumption.

However, t...