Handwara Police Cracks Down on Food Safety Violations, Registers Several FIRs – Alfaaz – The Words

Bhat Danish

Handwara: In a bid to safeguard public health and ensure the availability of quality food items, Handwara Police on Wednesday conducted an extensive market-checking drive across various areas of the district, in coordination with the Food Safety Officer and an Executive Magistrate.

Teams inspected meat shops, kiryana stores, hotels, restaurants, and other food outlets to check hygiene standards, sanitation practices, expiry dates of consumables, and the mandatory display of government-approved rate lists. The authenticity and quality of products being sold to consumers were also verified.

During the drive, several violations were detected. Police said three FIRs were registered, FIR No. 206/2025 at PS Handwara, FIR No. 35/2025 at PS Qalamabad, and FIR No. 54/2025 at PS Villgam, against erring shopkeepers for breaching prescribed norms.

Shopkeepers were warned to maintain cleanliness, avoid overpricing, and strictly adhere to food safety regulations.

Locals hailed the initiative, terming it a much-needed step to curb malpractice and protect consumer rights. Police said such drives will continue in the future and urged citizens to report violations to the nearest police station.