Residents of Aurangabad in Maharashtra are constantly afraid because nearly 300 monkeys have gone on a rampage attacking and damaging crops and homes. The monkeys are believed to have been in the Upla village for many years, but they have become more aggressive over the past few months due to absense or lack of monkey catcher.
PTI was able to contact a senior forest official who said that so far they had not received any complaints about monkeys living in the village. The village is located within Sillod taluka. It has about 1,600 residents. Most of them have to stay indoors because the monkey menace is so severe. Children and women in the village are afraid when the apes invade their homes and eat the food. A village woman claims that she was attacked by a monkey a few years back.
Another resident shared that the monkey gang has caused damage to many crops of farmers by moving in large groups. It is dangerous for residents to even venture out of the village. Meerabai Suradkar (upla's village head) said that monkeys had been living in the village for many years. "But their nuisance and number have increased. The village is home to nearly 300 monkeys. She stated that many houses have had their roofs ripped off by them. When asked where the monkeys arrive in the village, she replied, "There is no forest around our place, but there are hills approximately 20-30 km away."
Another local claimed that monkeys had been damaging crops and eating cotton and maize from the nearby farms. "They also caused damage to vehicles. "They also damaged the roofs of many villages' houses," he stated.
One village woman said that while she was carrying chapattis for her relatives who work at their farm, the monkeys take the food. "If we try and drive them away, then they attack us," she said. The forest department official replied that they have not received any complaints about monkeys in Upla village. We will take action if we are made aware of any complaints.
