Man flaunts tiger claw pendant on Instagram, arrested
Chennai: A 54-year-old businessman from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu was arrested by Forest officials after he showed off a tiger claw pendant during an Instagram interview.

During the raid, authorities recovered a set of deer antlers
Balakrishnan, a resident of Puliakulam, was featured in the video by a vlogger who approached him about his unusual jewellery. When asked about the pendant, Balakrishnan revealed, “This is a tiger claw. I got it from Andhra and I didn’t hunt even though I didn’t want to.” His statement raised suspicions, especially given the protected status of tigers under Indian law.
In the video, the vlogger also asked if Balakrishnan held any significant position, to which he claimed to be from the Sandoz Thevar community, not a “Nattamai” (sarpanch).
The interview went viral, attracting attention and sparking controversy regarding the possession of wildlife items. Following the viral video, Forest officials launched an investigation and raided Balakrishnan’s residence on Sunday.
During the raid, authorities recovered a set of deer antlers, which were identified as coming from a spotted deer, along with the tiger claw pendant.
The tiger claw is now being sent for scientific analysis to confirm its authenticity. Balakrishnan was arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act, which prohibits the possession of endangered animal parts.