Trouble for Vikram after viral lar gibbon video sparks row; Forest Department to probe

An Instagram reel posted by Tamil actor Vikram showed him cuddling a young lar gibbon, an endangered species native to Malaysia and Indonesia. This has led to the businessman CK Ranganathan, Vikram's father-in-law, coming under investigation by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department for suspected involvement in exotic wildlife trafficking.

The lar gibbon, protected under CITES and India's Wildlife (Protection) Act, was allegedly trafficked from Southeast Asia to Manipur, Erode, and finally to Ranganathan’s residence in Chennai. Activists suspect this is evidence of trafficking through the land route. Erode dealer SK Keshavanathan confirmed the monkeys were intended for "CKR" and called him a close associate.

Ranganathan's manager promised to respond but did not answer subsequent calls. The monkey has since been returned to Erode. The Forest Department plans to initiate an inquiry into the matter.