Hyderabad: Paan shops across the city and in the state sell gutka only to known customers. Deccan Chronicle reporters, who visited paan shops asking for gutka, were entertained only if the shop owners knew them. A paan shop owner on Sarojini Devi Road said, “We sell only to people known to us. We can’t sell gutka openly. But the mixture of paan masala and zarda can be sold. ”

A paan shop owner in Rani Ganj, Mahesh Kumar, said, “We are not selling it anymore. People come and ask. They pay a large amount and ask us to get a big stock for them. It is mostly delivered to their homes. We do not keep it in the shop.”

Another shop owner from Monda Market said, “Only regular clients ask for gutka. But the word gutka is not said. Some say, ‘mujhe mere cheez chahiye; saab mera saman deh do; mere rani hai kya; mujhe meri dawai chahiye’ and other slangs are used.”

New customers are introduced by old customers and only then are they entertained. The paan shop owners are always alert, especially as the food inspectors conduct raids from time to time. Limited stocks are kept in the shop. Also, during the day, if anyone asks for more than two to three packets, they are not entertained as the paan shop owners get suspicious.

While legal manufacturing units have been closed down, the manufacturing has now shifted to homes and most of it is clandestine. A senior Telangana State food inspector said, “We know it is being sold, but have no inspectors for regulation. There is hardly any staff and raids have to be carried out regularly to stop them. Carrying out a raid once in six months does not help.”