Srinagar: Rotten meat sellers in Kashmir are facing harsh legal action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and the Food Safety and Standards Act, with authorities treating the offence as a direct crime against public health rather than a routine market violation.
Police have begun invoking multiple provisions of the new penal code that bring both custodial sentences and financial penalties into play.
A police official told the news agency Kashmir News Trust (KNT) that under the BNS, the sale of meat known to be noxious or unfit for consumption is punishable with imprisonment that may extend to six months along with fine. Where traders are found negligent in allowing such stock to reach consumers, they may be booked under sections dealing with negligent acts likely to spread infection. In cases where evidence points to deliberate or malicious sale of contaminated meat, the offence attracts a harsher sentence of up to two years’ imprisonment besides monetary penalty.
Investigators have also used the provision relating to vitiating the atmosphere, noting that rotting meat in godowns and shops creates conditions injurious to community health. In instances where an organized network of suppliers and shopkeepers is suspected, charges of criminal conspiracy have been pressed, making not only retailers but also wholesalers equally liable.
Beyond the criminal sections, the Food Safety and Standards Act provides for monetary penalties running into lakhs of rupees, cancellation of licences and immediate destruction of unsafe stock. Once destroyed under official supervision, the seized meat cannot return to circulation. Repeat offenders may face permanent exclusion from the food trade.
The official added that those accused will not escape with minor fines but could face jail terms, heavy financial loss, loss of licences and long-term reputational damage.
