Mad Monkeys Run Amok in Indian Capital
N E W D E L H I, Jan. 9 -- Thousands of monkeys arecreating havoc in the corridors of power in the Indian capital,barging into government offices, stealing food, threateningbureaucrats, and even ripping apart valuable documents.
The increasingly aggressive animals swing effortlesslybetween the offices of the defense, finance and externalaffairs ministries, and have even been spotted in the primeminister’s office, government officials say.
“They are moving in very high security areas,” said defenseministry officer I.K. Jha.
According to estimates by officials, there are at least10,000 monkeys scampering in and around the stately redsandstone buildings just a stone’s throw from the grandpresidential palace.
Can't Kill Sacred Monkeys
But officials say there is little they can do to deal withthe monkey invasion of the government buildings, built by thecountry’s British rulers before India won independence in 1947.
Killing the animals is not an option because monkeys have asacred status in India’s main religion, Hinduism.
Authorities used to capture the monkeys and ship them toneighboring states. But that option now is closed because manystates say they have enough trouble coping with their ownmonkey population.
Humans vs. Simians
Two years ago, the government had a high-level meeting toseek a permanent solution to the problem. Suggestions rangedfrom setting up a separate park for captured primates to“monkey contraception.”
But little has been done since then and governmentemployees still walk warily to work armed with sticks andstones to prevent monkey attacks.
“I am sometimes faced with groups of monkeys, big hugelooking fellows,” said government employee Surekha Rao. “What Ido is make some noise with my shoes so the monkey moves away.”
Animal rights activists say the main problem isn’t therising number of monkeys but the growing population of humans.
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