Elderly man dies in stray monkey attack in Greater Noida

An elderly man died after falling from the roof when a troop of stray monkeys attacked him, police said. The incident occurred on late Thursday evening at Uncha Mohalla area of Dankaur where Khushiram, 70, lived with his family.

“On Thursday evening, a number of stray monkeys attacked the locality and many of them entered Kushiram’s house through the staircase of the roof. He shooed away them to the roof. But as he reached the roof, a number of monkeys attacked him. In a bid to escape, he slipped and fell down from the roof,” said Ravindra Rathi, in charge, Dankaur police station.

The police said his family rushed him to a nearby private hospital in an unconscious condition where the doctors declared him dead on arrival.

“We have not received any complaint from the family of the deceased yet. FIR will be registered once they file a written complaint. Prima facie it seems like he died to head injury,” said Rathi.

Large group of stray monkeys have become a menace at residential areas of Greater Noida. The residents claim that they have time and again requested the authorities about the problem but nothing has been done so far.

“Monkeys strike the areas where there are low rise houses and more green area. They often bite people and pose a threat to the children. The authorities are not taking this menace seriously,” said Kushal Bhati, a resident of Dankaur area.

The district magistrate NP Singh said, “Such incident should be averted. I will ask the local executive officer about the development and also seek the data of recent drives against stray animals, especially monkeys and dogs that poses a bigger threat to the society. Notice will be issued if anyone is found not performing his duty.”

Singh said in the recent tree plantation drive, he ensure plantation of trees that give fruits in the green areas.

“This is a very simple method to keep the monkeys away. If the jungles and restricted green areas are full of fruit trees, the monkeys will not return to the city,” Singh said.