The spectacle of a monkey, perched on a heritage building’s ornate parapet wall in the narrow alleys of Vrindavan in Mathura district, examining a police cap could bring an instant smile for its mischievousness. Sitting from the comforts of our homes, we may find the monkey’s act quite innocuous; but people in the temple town of Vrindavan have been at the receiving end of simians for a long time.
On Monday, Mathura district magistrate was caught unaware by the monkeys which snatched his spectacles while he was on the phone. The incident took place in the lanes leading to the Sri Banke Behari Mandir in Vrindavan. He got back his spectacles only after the monkey was bribed with two packets of mango juice.
The menace of monkey in northern parts, especially that of religious nature, of India is not new.
After the issue was discussed in Parliament, Mathura municipal body nabbed 100 monkeys for the purpose of relocation, but nothing much changed on ground.
In 2019, MP Hema Malini raised the issue of monkey menace in the Lok Sabha.
“Monkeys have started picking on the habits of humans due to deforestation. They don’t want fruits now, but samosa and fruity,” she said, suggesting the development of a Monkey Safari.
