A Spanish woman tourist was bitten by a monkey at the Taj Mahal in Agra on Wednesday, the second such incident in three days.
On Monday, another Spanish woman was also bitten by a monkey in front of the Royal Gate of the Taj Mahal when she was trying to take a photograph of the simian.
The Wednesday incident happened close to ticket booking window at eastern gate of the Taj Mahal.
“The woman tourist received injuries in her leg and had to be taken for treatment in an ambulance,” said Prince Vajpayee, the senior conservation assistant for the Archaeological Survey of India at the Taj Mahal.
The monkey attacks are happening at a time when the tourism season is about to start. Usually, this season is from October to March.
After Wednesday incident, superintending archaeologist for Archaeological Survey of India, Agra circle, Raj Kumar Patel and divisional forest officer Adarsh Kumar also visited the monument to gather first hand information about the incident ahead of a meeting on the issue convened by commissioner, Agra division.
“We moved through the Taj Mahal premises and tried to work out details related to this monkey menace. The issue needs serious consideration because such attacks on foreign tourists at monument like the Taj Mahal are a matter of grave concern,” Kumar said.
{{/usCountry}}“We moved through the Taj Mahal premises and tried to work out details related to this monkey menace. The issue needs serious consideration because such attacks on foreign tourists at monument like the Taj Mahal are a matter of grave concern,” Kumar said.
{{/usCountry}}He said there were certain grey areas which needed to be worked out. “We have to mark out points of access that these monkeys have. We need to work out an elaborate plan but till that is worked out, we also need to have some short-term plan in place to keep the simians away from visitors,” he added.
“Awareness is important as many a time, eye to eye contact or an attempt to photograph the monkey proves harmful. One should take help of staff present on premises,” he added.
In 2019, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) entrusted with the security of Taj Mahal within Taj Mahal premises had provided slingshots to its personnel to keep monkeys away. However, the move did not go well with animal lovers and the idea was shelved.