Ate a National Symbol: Indian Blogger Sent to Prison for Roasting Peacock (4 photos)

An influencer has prepared a national dish of curry using peacock meat, which is a protected species in India.





In India, a YouTuber has been arrested and jailed after he cooked and ate a peacock, a protected national bird. Well-known influencer Kodam Pranay Kumar posted a video on his YouTube channel in which he eats a curry that appears to be made from peacock.

During the investigation, samples of the dish were seized and sent to a forensic lab to accurately determine the type of meat.

Pranay Kumar was arrested on Monday after police said "other videos on his mobile phone confirmed" that the curry contained peacock meat.

The YouTuber, who has 277,000 subscribers, denied the allegations and said the dish was actually made with chicken.



Akhil Mahajan, the superintendent of police in the southern state of Telangana, where Pranay Kumar hails from, said, "He is currently in jail on 14-day judicial custody under the Wildlife Protection Act and it will now be up to the court to decide whether he will remain in custody or get bail."

The video, which has now been removed from Pranay Kumar's channel, was titled "Traditional Peacock Curry Recipe" and appeared to show a step-by-step tutorial on how to make the dish.





However, the video has sparked backlash on social media, with Pranay Kumar accused of disrespecting India's national symbol and encouraging the illegal consumption of wild animals.

Animal rights activists also claim that Pranay Kumar has often posted similar videos on his YouTube channel.

Police are currently investigating how the vlogger managed to get hold of a peacock to make the curry.



Peacocks have special symbolic significance in India and are protected by strict wildlife laws.

The birds were once abundant in parts of northern India, but rapid urbanization has drastically reduced their numbers in the wild.

They are now protected by strict wildlife laws that impose severe penalties and fines on anyone who hunts or harms them.

In June this year, two farmers in Telangana's Vikarabad district were arrested for allegedly eating a peacock.

And in 2023, three workers in Odisha were arrested for hunting and eating a peacock.