The incident occurred on May 26 in an area behind Yamini Hotel. According to residents, a monkey infant climbed onto the roof of the house of Dr Ajay Mishra and accidentally got its head lodged inside a narrow water downpipe. Unable to free itself despite apparent attempts by other monkeys to help, the animal eventually died of suffocation and exhaustion.
Unaware of the incident unfolding on their rooftop, the occupants of the house remained indoors. As evening progressed, an unusually large number of monkeys began gathering around the residence. Residents reported continuous cries, shrieks and aggressive calls from the troop, which appeared to be reacting to the death of the infant.
By nightfall, a large number of monkeys had congregated around the house, creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in the neighbourhood. Dr Mishra and his family spent a sleepless night indoors, unable to understand the reason behind the animals’ unusual behaviour.
The situation worsened the next morning as the monkeys became increasingly aggressive, making it unsafe for residents to venture outside. Efforts were subsequently made to seek assistance from various departments.
Joint Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Mohinder Sharma, responded promptly and advised that the matter fell under the jurisdiction of the Wildlife Wing of the Forest Department. Local police officials also directed residents to approach wildlife authorities.
Forest Range Officer Aditya Singh immediately recognised the seriousness of the situation and deputed a trained team to the site. On reaching the spot, forest personnel found the monkey troop fiercely guarding the location where the infant was trapped.
Initial attempts to disperse the animals using firecrackers failed, as the monkeys refused to move away. After nearly an hour of coordinated efforts involving noise deterrents and crowd management, the team succeeded in creating sufficient space to access the rooftop.
The dead monkey was removed from the pipe and shifted away from the area. Soon after the operation, the troop gradually dispersed and normalcy returned to the locality.
The incident has once again highlighted the growing human-monkey conflict in Palampur and raised concerns over public safety. Residents said the episode underscored the need for a coordinated strategy involving wildlife authorities, the local administration and the community to address the increasing monkey menace in urban and semi-urban areas.
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