Massive Crackdown on Adulterated Food in J&K: Rotten Meat, Fake Cheese, Counterfeit Rasgullas Seized

In one of the biggest crackdowns on adulterated and unsafe food in recent times, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have seized over 51,000 kilograms of contaminated food items, including 1,200 kg of decomposed meat in Srinagar and nearly 50,000 kg of counterfeit Rasgullas and duplicate cheese in Jammu.

In a sweeping crackdown on adulterated and unsafe food products, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have made multiple seizures over the past week, raising serious concerns about food safety standards in the region.

After recovering 800 kilograms of spurious cheese and 49,500 kilograms of suspected counterfeit Rasgullas in Jammu, authorities on Friday seized 1,200 kilograms of decomposed and rotten meat from a storage facility in the Zakura area on the outskirts of Srinagar city.

According to reports, the meat—brought in from outside the Union Territory—was intended for supply to hotels and restaurants across the Kashmir Valley. Officials from the Food Safety Department and the Srinagar unit of the Drugs and Food Control Organisation (DFCO) conducted a raid at a cold storage unit in the Zakura Industrial Estate, where the spoiled meat was found.

"We found the meat decomposed because it was not stored at the required cold chain temperatures. In this heat, meat left in unrefrigerated vehicles or ill-equipped storage units can easily spoil," a Food Safety Officer said. The consignment also lacked proper packaging and labeling.

Sources indicated that while high-end restaurants were unlikely to have purchased such substandard meat, smaller eateries and informal vendors may have been the primary consumers of the contaminated stock.

Officials also cautioned that the issue might not be limited to Srinagar alone. "Substandard meat could have made its way to rural markets and smaller food outlets across the Valley, posing serious public health risks," an official said.

49,500 kg of Suspected Counterfeit Rasgullas, 800 kg of Duplicate Cheese Seized in Jammu

Earlier this week, in a major enforcement action, the Food Safety Department of Jammu province seized 49,500 kilograms of suspected counterfeit Rasgullas from an unauthorized cold storage facility in Bishnah. The raid took place just four days after police recovered 800 kilograms of duplicate cheese (paneer) from a bus arriving from Delhi.

Deputy Commissioner, Food Safety Jammu, Darshan Mangotra, confirmed the seizure, noting that 2,750 tins of Rasgulla were recovered during the operation.

"Samples from the seized tins have been sent to the laboratory for detailed analysis. Preliminary inspection suggests that the Rasgullas are counterfeit," Mangotra said.

He added that the cold storage facility was not authorized to store ready-to-eat food products.

"The unit is licensed only for agricultural commodities. The standard operating procedures (SOPs) for storing processed food were grossly violated," he stated.

Duplicate Cheese Recovered from Bus Arriving from Delhi

On July 25, acting on a credible tip-off, the Bagh-e-Bahu Police intercepted a bus transporting 800 kilograms of duplicate cheese. The vehicle, bearing registration number AP-20B-0888, was stopped at Naka Point Bravo-03 by a team led by SHO Bagh-e-Bahu, under the supervision of SDPO East, SP South, and SSP Jammu.

The driver was identified as Abdul Ahad, son of Abdul Khaliq, a resident of Loran Kharpa, Poonch. During the interception, two individuals—Arif Hussain (resident of Malik Market), driving auto JK02DG-1890, and Mysir Bhat (resident of Magam, Kokernag), driving auto JK02CN-2757—were caught unloading the duplicate paneer, allegedly intended for distribution to dairy stores across Jammu city.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the consignment belonged to Mohd Iqbal, son of Bashir Ahmed, and Manzoor Ahmad Sardan, son of Mehboob Ahmed Sardan, both natives of Kokernag and currently residing near Bus Stand Jammu.