Kerala: Rapper Vedan remanded in forest department custody over possession of tiger tooth locket

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Rapper Vedan, whose real name is Hirandas Murali, has been remanded to the custody of the Forest Department as part of an ongoing investigation into the possession of a tiger tooth locket. Authorities are probing the source of the pendant, which Vedan claims was a gift from a Sri Lankan-origin foreign national named Ranjith Kumbidi. Vedan told the court and the Forest Department that he was unaware the item was made from an actual tiger tooth.

The Forest Department has charged Vedan under seven sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, including those linked to poaching—a non-bailable offense that carries a potential prison sentence of three to seven years. According to Vedan, the locket was crafted using a tooth he believed to be decorative. He had it modified at a jewelry store in Thrissur, where it was silver-plated and turned into a wearable piece.

Investigators have confirmed that Vedan was connected to Ranjith Kumbidi via Instagram and noted that Vedan's mother is of Sri Lankan origin, which may have contributed to their friendship. While Vedan has consistently maintained that he didn’t know the locket contained a real tiger tooth, he also highlighted in court that no scientific analysis of the item has yet been performed.

The Forest Department has completed a search of Vedan’s flat in Kochi and is set to escort him to the Thrissur jewelry store for further inquiry. The store owner has denied any knowledge that the tooth provided by Vedan was from a tiger.

Efforts to locate Ranjith Kumbidi have so far been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, a separate police investigation is underway to track down Ashik, a Chalakudy native accused of supplying ganja to Vedan and his associates. This comes after a police raid on Vedan’s apartment resulted in the arrest of nine individuals, including another rapper known as Gabri (K.W. Vishnu). Authorities seized a small quantity of cannabis during the operation.

Vedan, who openly acknowledged using ganja during a media interaction, is receiving a wave of online support. Fans and fellow artists have flooded social media with messages defending him, arguing that the arrests are an attempt to silence his politically charged performances and public dissent.