A 36-year-old South Korean tourist was bitten by a monkey near the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal on Sunday and had to be taken to a private hospital by e-rickshaw after an ambulance allegedly failed to arrive for about an hour, prompting the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to complain to the chief medical officer (CMO) at Agra, officials said.
“There was a delay in the ambulance reaching the spot after being called. A letter has been written to the chief medical officer in this regard,” the ASI official said.
The incident occurred when Kim Mihye and her husband were at the eastern gate of the monument before entering the Taj Mahal. The couple had booked online tickets and were collecting complimentary shoe covers and a water bottle provided to foreign tourists holding special tickets.
According to officials, Kim was waiting for her husband when a monkey allegedly bit her on the elbow, causing bleeding. The couple sought help and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel stationed at the gate immediately called for an ambulance.
An ASI official said the injured tourist was administered first aid at the monument’s primary health centre. As the ambulance allegedly did not arrive for about an hour, officials arranged an e-rickshaw to shift her to a nearby private hospital for further treatment.