Telangana’s Forest Department officials have booked a YouTuber after he posted a video on how to cook peacock curry. Kondam Pranay Kumar of Rajanna Sircilla district posted the video titled ‘How to cook peacock curry in the traditional way’ on his YouTube channel ‘Sri TV’, triggering a backlash on social media.

With animal rights activists demanding action against the YouTuber for promoting the killing of the peacock, the forest officials raided his house in Thangallapalli on Sunday, August 11. They detained him and seized the curry. They found some chicken feathers during the raid at the house.

Pranay told the forest officials that he cooked chicken curry but uploaded the video titled ‘How to cook peacock curry in the traditional way’ to get more views.

As the peacock is the national bird, listed under Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Amendment Act, 2022, the forest department registered a case and took up an investigation.

Forest Range Officer (FRO), R. Kalpana Devi said Kodam Pranay was taken into custody after receiving the information.

She said they inspected the place where the curry was cooked and seized the dish. “Naming a peacock is also an offence. We will send the curry to the lab for testing and after the report, we will take action,” she said.

The officer said any act that promotes killing wildlife attracts penal action.

The FRO said the case was referred to police for further action. The YouTuber faces action under the Wildlife Protection Act.

The objectionable video has also been taken down from YouTube.

Police said they had registered a case under relevant sections and were conducting the investigation. They said further action in the case would depend on the forensic test of the curry.