How did a pest control company kill 3,19,400 rats in the state secretariat in just seven days, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Maharashtra minister asked the Vidhan Sabha on Thursday.

“A survey found there were 3,19,400 rats in Mantralaya,” Eknath Khadse said, according to PTI. “A work order was issued by the General Administration Department. The company was given six months, but it claimed to have killed them in just seven days,” he said, and added that this meant, the firm killed 45,628.57 rats a day. “Those 0.57 must be the newborn ones.”

“It also means the company killed 31.68 rats every minute,” he said, while demanding an investigation into the company’s claims.

“Can there be so many rats in Mantralaya? And would it be ever possible to execute such an exercise within seven days?” he asked, according to The Indian Express. Khadse also pointed out that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had killed only six lakh rats in two years across Mumbai.

Maharashtra Minister of State for Energy, Tourism, Food and Drugs Administration, and General Administration Madan Yerawar said the government will look into the matter to “ascertain the facts about the company, tender process and job”.