An Indian YouTuber has allegedly been imprisoned for publishing a video in which he is seen cooking and consuming a peacock.
Despite having more than 277,000 subscribers, Kodam Pranay Kumar’s decision to share a video of himself cooking peacock curry on his channel had serious consequences as he found himself on the wrong side of the law.
Although it has been removed, the video sparked widespread backlash for promoting the illegal consumption of wildlife. Peacocks hold great cultural significance in India and are protected under the country’s Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, making it illegal to harm them.
Kumar’s “peacock recipe”quickly caught the attention of the police who promptly detained the YouTuber and launched an investigation into the video.
YouTuber booked for Peafowl Curry Video, claims it’s “chicken curry” , samples sent to forensic lab YouTuber from Rajanna Sircilla district, Kodam Pranay Kumar, is under investigation after posting a video that claimed to show the preparation of a traditional peafowl curry. The… pic.twitter.com/vZK1mHpIT8
— Sudhakar Udumula (@sudhakarudumula) August 12, 2024
After Kumar was arrested on August 11, police reportedly discovered additional footage on his phone that purportedly showed the use of peacock in the curry.
Nevertheless, the YouTuber has argued that the meal did, in fact, include Chicken and that the use of video editing was merely a ploy to create the illusion of preparing a peacock curry.
According to Telangana police superintendent Akhil Mahajan, the individual in question has been placed on a 14-day remand under the Wildlife Protection Act. The court will determine whether he will be kept in custody or granted bail. This statement was reported by Agence France-Presse.
According to The Times of India, authorities raided Kumar’s residence and obtained samples of the dish for testing to determine if it indeed contained peacock meat. Mahajan promised that appropriate measures would be taken against Kumar if the results confirmed the use of peacock in the dish.
The authorities are currently conducting an investigation into how Kumar may have acquired the suspected peacock. They have also highlighted the YouTuber’s disregard for the law by promoting the killing of a protected species.
Since 1963, the peacock has been recognized as India’s national bird. If Kumar is proven guilty of killing a peacock, he could potentially be sentenced to seven years in prison and be required to pay a fine of at least ten thousand rupees (equivalent to approximately $119 USD).
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