'Waxworm inside chowmin at Taste of Tibet, Spider in food at 14th Avenue': Citizens demand action against elite eateries in Kashmir

August 26, 2025 by News Desk

Suhail Dar

For the last few weeks, the Food Safety Department Kashmir has been on its toes, carrying out one of the largest crackdowns in recent years to ensure food safety across Kashmir. Several godowns and food manufacturers have been raided, and licenses of multiple dealers suspended.

However, many citizens allege that some high-end eateries continue to escape scrutiny. On social media, demands are growing for the authorities to act against “elite” outlets as well.

“The rich have started this culture of dishonest profiteering. They need to be dealt with strictly and must face scrutiny. We must not make the safety of food look like a classist campaign against the poor,” one user wrote.

A series of viral incidents has further amplified the outrage. Cyclist Adil Teeli shared a shocking experience from a popular café at 14th Avenue, Bund, Srinagar, where he allegedly found a spider in his food.

https://twitter.com/imAdilteli/status/1960019260664947054

“Cleanliness is the minimum we expect when we pay for food,” Teeli wrote while posting photos of the incident.

In another case, a viral video from Anantnag showed a Waxworm (Khod Keom) inside a plate of chowmein served at Taste of Tibet, a restaurant considered among the most loved spots by Gen Z in South Kashmir.

A Srinagar resident also narrated a disturbing experience at Aslam Butter Chicken, claiming the chicken served there was undercooked with blood oozing from the bones.

“Most likely they were using frozen chicken that wasn’t thawed properly before cooking, so the outside looked roasted while the inside remained raw and bloody. Extremely unhygienic and unsafe!” the customer wrote.

With such testimonies pouring in, citizens are urging the Food Safety Department to extend its crackdown to all food establishments, regardless of class or reputation, to ensure fairness and public health.