Uttar Pradesh: 40 Monkeys Found Dead In Suspected Case Of ¡®Mass Poisoning¡¯; Probe Underway
In a startling incident, around 40 monkeys were discovered dead under questionable circumstances in Uttar Pradesh's Hapur district.
The incident occurred on Sunday near the Garhmukteshwar area of Hapur. The death of monkeys has sparked controversy.
Suspicion of poisoning
Soon after receiving the information, villagers reached the spot on Monday. They spotted jaggery and watermelons kept near the places where monkeys were lying dead.?
The villagers reported the happening to the forest department and as per initial observation, it was presumed by the locals that the monkeys were poisoned to death.?
Bodies sent for autopsy; probe on?
Subsequently, the police and the forest department launched a probe into the matter.?The forest department reportedly suspected that the monkeys might have been poisoned.?
"A case has been registered and the cause of their death is being probed," reported NDTV quoting a police officer as saying.
The bodies of the monkeys have been sent for autopsy to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bareilly. The postmortem report is still awaited.?
Bajrang Dal workers also reportedly visited the spot and demanded a detailed investigation into the matter.
Monkey menace in India
The unchecked population of monkeys across the country has reportedly become a hazard for residents, as these primates are often blamed for significant agricultural destruction, leading to losses for farmers.
Moreover, the monkeys frequently barge into people's homes and businesses to pilfer food.?
Wildlife and animal activists have often attributed rapid urbanisation to destroying the animal's natural habitats, compelling them to infringe on human settlements for food and shelter.
In 2016, the Himachal Pradesh government declared monkeys in the state "vermin" and allowed their culling for six months by incentivising people to kill them. This undertaking met widespread criticism from animal activists and animal lovers for encouraging the killing of the primates.
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