Bat Meat In Your 'Chicken' Biryani? Shocking Food Scam Busted In Tamil Nadu, 2 Held
In a disturbing case that has raised serious concerns over food safety and wildlife protection, two men were arrested for hunting fruit bats and selling their meat disguised as chicken at roadside eateries in Tamil Nadu's Salem district.
The incident came to light after the Forest Department raided the Thoppur Ramasamy forest area on the night of July 25, acting on local reports of gunshots in the region. During the raid, forest officials caught the suspects red-handed while they were preparing bat meat by boiling it at the site.
Upon interrogation, the accused confessed to selling the meat as chilli chicken and other popular dishes at fast-food stalls in the Danishpettai area of Omalur. Officials confirmed that unsuspecting customers were consuming the bat meat believing it to be chicken.
Experts have flagged this practice as a major public health risk. Fruit bats are known carriers of life-threatening viruses, including Nipah, Ebola, Marburg, and Rabies. Consuming undercooked or contaminated bat meat can lead to severe disease outbreaks. A similar case in Congo earlier this year reportedly led to the deaths of over 50 people after the consumption of infected bat meat.
This is not the first such incident in India. In recent years, authorities have uncovered multiple cases of wildlife meat being passed off as chicken. In 2020, crow meat was sold in Rameswaram; in 2021, Bengaluru reported cases involving rat and dog meat; and just last year, similar suspicions at the Bengaluru railway station sparked public outrage.
The two accused, identified as Kamal (36) and Selvam (35), were arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. They were remanded to judicial custody on July 28. Ranger Vimal Kumar, who led the operation, confirmed that a broader investigation is underway to trace the extent of the illegal activity and determine if others were involved.
The case has renewed calls for stricter surveillance and regulation of street food vendors to safeguard public health and prevent wildlife exploitation.
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First Published:
July 30, 2025, 15:09 IST
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