Social media abuzz with reports on lizard in AI meal

The photograph of a lizard popping out of a meal tray of an Air India (AI) flight to London was doing the rounds of social media on Saturday, putting a question mark on the airline's hygiene standards.

However, the national carrier vehemently denied the occurrence. The photograph and reports pertaining to it have gone viral in the internet.

The text accompanying the photo suggested that the incident took place aboard the AI flight from Delhi to London on Thursday last week.

However, AI has clarified that the “news on Twitter and elsewhere regarding a 'lizard in meal tray' on board AI 111 DEL-LHR of June 11 is false and baseless”. It has said it has already investigated the “incident” and found that no such complaint was registered with them.

“No such complaint has been received from any passenger on board the flight or at the Air India office in London,” said the carrier. Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said his ministry was in touch with AI's management in this regard.

"As per them, there has been no complaint, no passenger or person has come forward to claim that this picture was taken by them. According to Air India, the matter seems to have been fabricated and is a hoax. They are still investigating the matter, as to who is behind it,” said Raju.

Before AI's statement, Raju had said AI was “not expected to serve lizards, nor are cooks expected to cook lizards”, while describing the reported incident as a serious issue.