Lockdown effect: At PU, monkey business becomes a thing of past

Hundreds of simians, who had made Panjab University their home over the years, are a rare sight now

Amid reports of wild animals straying into urban spaces, including Chandigarh, due to the Covid-19 lockdown, Panjab University that was plagued with simian menace is witnessing a reverse trend, as all of a sudden monkeys are nowhere to be seen on the campus.

Before classes were called off, simians used to be spotted at the Student Centre, and would feed on the left-over food. (HT File Photo)

Hundreds of simians, who had made Panjab University their home over the years, are a rare sight now. Panjab University has been grappling with the monkey menace from past many years but with no success.

Before the lockdown began, hundreds of monkeys used to be spotted at the Students Centre, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), hostels and other places.

According to university officials, the lockdown has resulted in lack of food compelling the simians to move to nearby forests. PU chief security professor Ashwani Koul said, “I have not seen monkeys ever since the lockdown began. They had made PU their home because they could feed on garbage and left-over food. They will return as soon as things return to normalcy.”

PU suspended its classes since March 15. Only few students are still residing in the university hostels. With the rise in monkey menace at the campus over the years, monkey bites had also been reported several times.

Monkeys were a common site at PU hostels especially at boys’ hostel number 4, 5 and 6. Nikhil Narmeta, who resides in boys’ hostel number 5, said, “We seldom see a monkey now. Earlier, hundreds of monkeys used to be at the rooftop of our hostel. They used to topple dustbins to get food and sometimes take away the clothes of the students. There has been a drastic decline in the number of monkeys ever since the university suspended the classes.”

The most striking fallout can be witnessed at the Student centre. Security Guard, Manjit Singh, who still visits Student Centre many times during the day said, “Monkeys used to feed on leftover food of students. There has been a drastic decline in monkeys around Student Centre, UIPS, UILS and department of laws since university was shut down.”