Srinagar, Aug. 28 -- It began in Zakura, where authorities seized hundreds of kilograms of packaged meat, wrapped in polythene and cartons, unlabelled and unhygienic. Soon after, altered cheese was discovered in Jammu.

The news spread fast, and fear followed. Suspicion soon entered kitchens and dining halls in a place where meat is celebration and identity.

Suddenly, familiar foods felt unsafe. Meatballs, kababs, and even the centerpiece dishes of wazwan lost their appeal. Families turned to vegetables, restaurants suffered, and the local butchers known for handling fresh meat with care saw their shops empty out. They, too, became victims of the scandal, though they had done nothing wrong. An old Kashmiri saying puts it well: until trut...