GORAKHPUR, May 4 -- In a late-night crackdown, the food safety department raided the Mahewa fish market under the jurisdiction of Rajghat police station at around 2am on Friday. The operation revealed that, apart from two vendors, none of the fish traders held valid food safety licences. Dr Sudhir Kumar Singh, assistant commissioner, food safety, stated that the operation was conducted jointly with the fisheries department. The raid caught traders off guard as dozens of trucks transporting fish from other states were stopped for inspection. Officials reported that nearly 90 trucks carrying fish worth an estimated Rs.54 lakh arrived at the market on Friday, with shipments originating from Hyderabad and other locations. These trucks had been in transit since April 28, with some destined for Prayagraj and Rae Bareli, while 78 were scheduled to be unloaded in Gorakhpur. The team collected fish samples-mainly from Andhra Pradesh-for laboratory testing to detect the presence of hazardous chemicals such as formalin. Dr Singh disclosed that a previous surveillance exercise had already confirmed the presence of cholera-causing bacteria in fish sold at this market. During the inspection, officials found the market in a highly unsanitary condition, with garbage and waste accumulated throughout the premises. Authorities further revealed that over 40 traders have been operating in the Mahewa Fish Market for years, most of whom belong to a particular community, but the majority have been functioning without proper licences....