Cat Biryani Served In Chennai Roadside Eateries For Rs100
Chennai: The next time you want to stop at a roadside eatery in Chennai for a plate of biryani, you may have to reconsider your decision. A voluntary organization has exposed several food vendors killing cats to serve cat meat and biryan in the guise of chicken biryani in Pallavaram in the city.
Police and volunteers of People for Animals (PfA) rescued 16 cats which were kept in cages, with no food or water, last Saturday. The animals were in a deplorable condition, some infested with maggots and all of them suffering from dehydration.
Most were aggressive, induced by trauma, and will take a long time to recover. Some reports added that the cats were being killed by putting them in boiling water.
The animals had been captured by the Narikuravar community to sell them to eateries. Sagar Sheth, an activist who was part of the rescue team, said, "At the corner, there was a man chopping meat. He told us that it was cat meat and that it was to be sold. Rs 200 for 2 kgs he said, it was that cheap. A man even ate a raw piece of meat and recommended that we try black cat's blood."
"In the last few months, there has been a spurt in the demand of cat meat," says Arun Prasanna of People for Cattle in India (PFCI). Volunteers have rescued around 40 stolen cats meant to be slaughtered for meat from gypsy colonies at Pallavaram, Avadi, Ayanavaram, and Red hills in the last six months. The largest haul (20) was from Red Hills, followed by Pallavaram (14). Recently, a large number of carcasses and cat skins were recovered at Kotturpuram gypsy colony. "A total of seven police complaints have been registered so far," said a police officer.
A large polythene bag of cat meat weighing anything between two to three kg costs around 100. It is supplied to small vendors and biriyani stalls across the city. They are then sold to unsuspecting customers as mutton preparations. Similar is the case with the vendors selling 'side dishes' near Tasmac outlets in Red Hills, Pallavaram, Avadi , according to Prasanna
"The mutton 65 prepared from cat meat was a hit among tipplers," said Ramesh Kerketta (name changed) from Jharkhand, a former teenage help at a stall near a Tasmac outlet in Pallavaram.
Explaining the modus operandi, S. Shanmugham, another volunteer said, the gypsies target cats near MRTS stations and bus depots it is easy to steal and escape. These cats are caught with nets, drugged and stuffed in gunny bags. There is another facet which fuels the demand of cat meat. Many people believe that cat-meat is an aphrodisiac and has several medicinal properties. Quacks prescribe cat meat for impotency, asthma and arthritis , said animal activist Suchitra Rao.
Also, cat meat is considered a delicacy among gypsies. The PFCI volunteers raided a Narikurawa wedding where around 20 cats were slaughtered for cooking cat biriyani. A video clip shows people accepting that the dish was being cooked for guests.
The rescued cats were sent to in the PfA shelter in Red Hills. PfA co-founder Shiranee Pereira said the rescued cats were visibly shocked and dehydrated. They were not fed regularly. This was evident from their aggressive behaviour.
"It will take at least a month for the cats to recover from the shock and behave normally," she said.
