Salem
Two men from Salem district were apprehended by forest officials after allegedly hunting fruit bats and selling their cooked meat as chicken dishes in the local market. The case emerged following reports of gunshots in the Thoppur Ramasamy forest area near Danishpettai in Omalur.
Led by Forest Ranger Vimal Kumar, a patrol team responded to the tip-off and traced the suspects, identified as Kamal and Selvam, deep in the forest. Authorities say the duo had been cooking and packaging bat meat to resemble popular chicken items like chilli chicken, which they sold in roadside eateries and fast-food outlets.
Police investigations suggest that Kamal and Selvam’s scheme may have been ongoing for several years, duping unsuspecting customers and restaurant operators into believing they were consuming chicken. Authorities have raised food safety concerns, noting similar past incidents involving the sale of rat, cat, and dog meat disguised as chicken.
Experts warn that consuming fruit bats poses serious health risks. Fruit bats are known carriers of zoonotic diseases, including Nipah, Hendra, Marburg, and potentially Ebola, posing a grave public health threat if consumed undercooked or handled improperly.
In response, the police have announced plans to inspect local food establishments across Salem and Omalur to ensure compliance with food safety standards and prevent similar public health incidents.