A Diwali business rush turned into a costly setback for a sweet shop owner in Haryana's Fatehabad after thousands of honeybees descended on his shop, covering trays of sweets and driving customers away.
The unusual incident, which has since gone viral on social media, took place near Fawara Chowk on Thana Road, where the shop had set up an additional stall outside to meet festive demand.
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The shop had stocked up on an assortment of traditional sweets ahead of Diwali, with trays of desserts displayed outside to attract customers. However, the festive preparations took an unexpected turn when a large swarm of honeybees descended on the stall.
Attracted by the sugary sweets and syrup, the bees quickly covered the trays, making it difficult for customers to approach the counter.
A video of the incident shows thousands of bees clustered across the sweet display, with several others flying around the stall.
The shop's employees attempted to drive the swarm away, but their efforts had little effect. One worker was seen trying to disperse the bees, while others used charcoal smoke in an attempt to clear the display.
The swarm also triggered panic among shoppers in the neighbourhood, with customers keeping their distance from the shop to avoid getting caught among the bees.
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The incident came at a particularly difficult time for the business, as Diwali is traditionally one of the busiest periods for sweet shops.
The shopkeeper, whose identity was not disclosed, estimated the financial loss at around Rs 2 lakh. He said the swarm kept customers away, severely affecting sales during the festive season.
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