Tamil Nadu Shocker: Two Arrested for Selling Bat Meat as Chilli Chicken

A shocking incident has come to light in Tamil Nadu, where two individuals have been arrested for hunting fruit bats and selling them to unsuspecting buyers as chicken meat.
The two men have been identified as Kamal and Selvam. Forest officials in Salem district were alerted after hearing multiple gunshots within the Thoppur Ramasamy forest range.

Led by Forest Ranger Vimal Kumar, a patrol team launched an operation and found the duo hunting fruit bats, cooking them, and passing them off as chicken meat for sale near Danishpettai in Omalur.

It has now come to light that Kamal and Selvam had been duping restaurants and fast food centres for several years. They allegedly cooked bat meat and sold it to these establishments as chilli chicken and other popular dishes.

Police have raised concerns over the incident, pointing out that miscreants have previously been apprehended for selling cat, dog, and rat meat as chicken.

Police will reportedly conduct inspections at restaurants and fast food centres to verify the meat being used.

What are Fruit Bats?

Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are large bats belonging to the family Pteropodidae. They primarily feed on fruit, nectar, and flowers, and are found in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Australia, and some Pacific islands.

Fruit Bats: Risks of Consumption

Fruit bats are considered unsafe to eat and pose several health risks:

1. Zoonotic Disease Risk

Fruit bats are known carriers of several dangerous viruses that can be transmitted to humans, including Nipah virus, Hendra virus, Marburg virus, Ebola virus (suspected reservoirs) and Lyssaviruses (related to rabies).

These viruses can be transmitted through direct contact with bat bodily fluids or droppings, or through handling or consuming undercooked or raw bat meat.

2. Public Health Advisories

In many countries, consuming bats — especially wild-caught ones — is discouraged or even banned due to the risk of viral spillover, which can lead to outbreaks or pandemics.

3. Conservation Concerns

Many species of fruit bats are endangered or threatened due to habitat loss and hunting. Consuming them contributes to biodiversity loss and ecological imbalance.