YouTuber cooks dead monitor lizard for video, arrested

India Aug 21, 2025

An Odisha YouTuber, Rupa Nayak, landed in trouble after posting a video of himself cooking a protected monitor lizard.
He found the dead reptile while traveling with his wife and shared the cooking process online.
The clip quickly went viral, catching the attention of the Forest department who called him in for questioning.

Nayak was booked under multiple sections of law

Monitor lizards are protected under India's Wildlife Protection Act, so hunting or eating them is illegal and can lead to jail time or heavy fines.
After confessing, Nayak was booked under multiple sections of the law and brought before court.
This case is a reminder that wildlife laws are strict—even for content creators chasing views.