Rampaging Monkeys Turn Against Humans In Brutal Attacks

Macaques in India are getting angrier and more violent and plans are being discussed to deploy langurs ahead of a presidential visit to keep the attacks at bay.

According to the Times of India, President Ramnath Kovind will be visiting Vrindavan's Banke Bihari temple on 28 November and arrangements need to be made to keep what has been dubbed the 'monkey safari' under control.

Speaking to the TOI, Mathura SSP Shalabh Mathur, said that they are considering the option of bringing in langurs for the safety and security of the President of India, explaining that the 'final decision will be taken after meeting with the concerned department' but adding that 'once they give a nod, the administration will deploy langurs around the famous temple'.

BBC

In one recent attack, that was reported by the Daily Star, a four-month-old baby was killed after a rock was dropped on the infant's head in northern India.

The baby boy was on the ground with his parents when the stone is said to have either thrown by the animal or slipped from its paws. It plunged down on the tot's head.

BBC

Iqbal Malik, a primatologist and environmental activist based in New Delhi, told Gizmodo: "The rhesus macaques, generally speaking, are a harmless and peaceful species.

"They live in troops, with each troop consisting of infants, sub-adults, sexually mature adults, and the elderly. Infants stay close to their mothers up to the age of six months, and the mother-infant bond is extremely strong.

"Large-scale deforestation destroys their natural habitats, resulting in the fragmentation of groups and causing monkeys to move towards rural and urban areas in search of food."

PA

Last year, a 72-year-old man was stoned to death by monkeys that threw bricks at him from a nearby tree.

Dharampal Singh from India was collecting wood in the forest when the monkeys attacked. Local police in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, found themselves in a dilemma, as the family weren't satisfied with the death being ruled as an 'accident' and demanded intervention by higher authorities on the case.

The Mirror reported that the monkeys - who were believed to have collected the bricks from a rundown building nearby in Tikri, Uttar Pradesh - had been causing trouble in the area for some time.

Topics: monkeys, News, Animals, India

Rebecca Shepherd

I'm Becky - a journalist at LADbible. I graduated with a First Class BA in Journalism before going on to cover criminal court cases, medical tribunals and breaking news for the national media - which inevitably and eventually became as glum as it sounds. Can often be found rocking a bag for life - which I made a 'thing' way before Rihanna. You can contact me at [email protected]

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