SRINAGAR, July 23 -- In a major crackdown on unfair trade practices threatening the very credibility of Kashmir's world-famous handicraft and handloom industry, Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, has blacklisted and deregistered a craft showroom - The Kashmir Art Bazaar, Tangmar - after the showroom was found guilty of selling a machine-made carpet forRs.2.55 lakh to a tourist by fraudulently passing it off as a hand-knotted Kashmiri GI-certified product.

As per the Order No. 10-HD(QC) of 2025, dated 22.07.2025, issued by the Director Handicrafts and Handloom, the seller used a fake QR label resembling the official label issued by the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) to mislead the buyer into believing the carp...