Senior religious leader and chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Sunday, 15 November 2026, raised fresh alarm over the resurfacing of rotten meat entering the Kashmir Valley, just over a year after a major food safety scandal shook the region. The latest seizure — 1,600 kg of meat deemed unfit for human consumption — was intercepted at Budgam railway station in a joint crackdown, reigniting public anxiety over food safety standards.

What Was Seized and How

Authorities recovered 1,600 kg of rotten meat packed across 44 boxes that had arrived via railway cargo from Delhi. The consignment failed to meet prescribed cold-chain storage conditions and emitted a severe foul smell, according to officials. A joint operation involving the Jammu and Kashmir Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Railway Police, railway authorities, and the Budgam district administration carried out the interception on Saturday, 14 November 2026. A veterinary doctor verified the findings, after which the entire consignment was destroyed. An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Mirwaiz Demands Accountability

Reacting to the seizure in a post on X, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the discovery had "shocked people and raised serious concerns." He commended the police officers involved but pressed for a fuller reckoning, asking: "Despite last year's public outrage and assurances from the authorities of stringent safeguards and action against those involved, how does it continue unchecked? Why are those behind these practices not being exposed and strictly punished?"

He further demanded that "the government must come clean on it and place all facts in the public domain. It must fix accountability and take strict action against the perpetrators of this heinous crime to restore people's trust in the food they consume."

Pattern of Violations: A Recurring Crisis

This latest seizure is not an isolated incident. In July and August 2025, a large-scale food safety crackdown across Jammu and Kashmir led to the seizure and destruction of roughly 12,000 kg — approximately 12 tonnes — of rotten, unlabelled, and chemically treated meat. That investigation exposed an organised supply chain funnelling cheap, rejected meat from outside the Union Territory into local eateries, bypassing cold-chain protocols entirely. More recently, authorities also seized unpermitted food colours found in kebabs and meatballs at outlets in Srinagar, pointing to a broader pattern of adulteration.

What This Means for Public Trust

The recurrence of such seizures despite official assurances after the 2025 scandal raises pointed questions about enforcement gaps. Critics argue that while seizures and destruction of contraband meat are necessary, they address symptoms rather than the organised supply chain that continues to operate. The absence of publicly disclosed prosecutions from last year's crackdown has deepened scepticism among residents and civil society over whether deterrence is working. With the Mirwaiz — one of Kashmir's most prominent religious voices — now publicly questioning the government's follow-through, pressure for transparent accountability is likely to intensify.

What Happens Next

Authorities have yet to publicly name those behind the consignment or detail how far the supply chain extends. The registered FIR under the BNS marks a formal legal step, but observers note that swift judicial follow-through — not just seizures — will be the true test of the state's commitment to food safety. The J&K FDA and law enforcement agencies are expected to face renewed scrutiny in the coming days.