Wild meat trade thrives in Bengaluru’s backyard, despite tiger death uproar
Karnataka Forest Department intercepted wild meat trade near Bannerghatta on June 29, 2025.
Raids uncovered nine spotted deer carcasses, one wild pig and a makeshift slaughterhouse.
The operation was run like a start-up targeting affluent Bengaluru consumers.
Entire supply chains were set up to deliver both whole carcasses and ready-to-cook meat.
Spotted deer meat sold at Rs 1,000–1,200/kg despite legal alternatives being cheaper.
Business model included fast delivery and included deer skin samples in meat packs.
COVID-19 lockdowns saw a rise in organised hunting under the guise of economic relief.
Forest check posts and staff are untrained and unable to detect such crimes effectively.
Hunters increasingly use snares, poisoning and electrocution to avoid detection.
The network poses a serious threat to conservation, potentially targeting protected species.
During the last week of June 2025, the Karnataka forest department came under heavy criticism for the deaths of five tigers in Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary. Amid media attention and public outcry over this unfortunate incident, another similar case went largely unnoticed.
Acting on a specific tip-off, a team from the forest department intercepted a car travelling on Bannerghatta Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) Road near Bengaluru on June 29, 2025. To their surprise, they uncovered an organised trade in wild meat targeting affluent residents of Bengaluru. The team found the carcasses of four spotted deer and one wild pig and arrested one individual. The investigation led them to a makeshift shed in C K Palya on the edge of Bannerghatta National Park, revealing a much larger story.
To the disbelief of the officers, the shed resembled a slaughterhouse — 74 kilogrammes (kg) of neatly packed spotted deer meat, a single-barrel gun and a double-barrel gun, live cartridges, knives and machetes and weighing machines were found, testifying to a thriving business. One officer from the raiding team still remembers the carcass of a lactating spotted deer, hinting at the fate of its fawn. In total, the team found the remains of nine spotted deer.
Bengaluru developed as a start-up hub and the investigation revealed this was nothing short of a start-up story. The main accused, still at large, meticulously planned the operation. First, he identified the demand for wild meat in the upmarket areas of Bengaluru. The supply was timed for weekends to meet the demand for a Sunday special.
The main accused then built the supply chain. Hunting nine deer at a time is no simple feat—it requires tracking animal movement and mobilising nine separate hunters. He also outsourced transportation to a third party, creating an escape route for the main players in the event of a law enforcement raid.
The operation was flexible—entire cleaned carcasses were delivered to specific customers, while smaller ready-to-cook portions were also available. To convince customers that it was indeed spotted deer meat, a small portion of skin was included in each pack. The supply chain was as efficient as any quick-commerce platform — minimal time was wasted between the hunt and final delivery to retain freshness. Investigators have yet to determine the communication methods used — whether via WhatsApp groups or phone calls.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, organised hunting increased. At the time, it was claimed that hunting provided a source of cheap protein during the economic crisis. However, this incident reveals that the motivation goes beyond mere sustenance. Legal meat options such as chicken, fish and pork are widely available for Rs 200-400 per kg and even mutton for Rs 800. In contrast, spotted deer meat was being sold for Rs 1,000-1,200 per kg.
The lucrative trade encouraged agents to lure more customers, resulting in increased demand and orders for the kingpin and hunters operating along forest fringes. It became a profitable business where everyone involved was content.
Cracking these hunting networks is a challenge. Forest check posts in heavily forested districts have proven ineffective even against timber smuggling. Detecting neatly packed wild meat in vehicles is virtually impossible for check post staff, who are not trained in handling wildlife crime.
Even when such cases are cracked, prosecution is difficult. Apart from veterinary certificates, investigators must recover skins, heads, or legs to build a convincing case. For hunters, destroying meat — the main evidence — is easy. Unlike trophies such as skin, ivory, claws, canines, or live animals, meat leaves little trace.
The use of firearms has declined due to the availability of wire snares, which can be bought for Rs 10-20 in any machine shop. More killing methods, such as electrocution, explosives and poisoning, are also being used.
This kind of organised network, from hunters to delivery boys, poses a direct threat to conservation efforts. Backed by well-connected communication and transport systems, these groups can target even the most well-protected areas in the state. What began with hunting prey species could easily scale up to target Schedule I species for the international market.
PM Muthanna is Director, Field Conservation at Centre for Wildlife Studies.
Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth.