‘Culprit bees identified, will be punished’

Lucknow police on Tuesday ‘identified’ the culprits who had on Monday disrupted UP Chief Minister Mayawati’s rally here for almost an hour — large bees from a nearby university campus.

Lucknow police on Tuesday ‘identified’ the culprits who had on Monday disrupted UP Chief Minister Mayawati’s rally here for almost an hour — large bees from a nearby university campus.

HT Image

“Those were bigger bees, normally found in forests and not in residential areas. They came from the bushes on the campus of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University,” a police officer said.

Sleuths are probing if the bee attack was “part of a conspiracy”. “We suspect someone lit a fire under a huge beehive. The police will look into the apparent mischievous intention behind the act,” another officer said.

Rajiv Krishna, DIG Lucknow, said the cops were taking expert help. “A police team will soon be sent for examination of suspected spots from where the bees may have come. Those found guilty will not be spared.”

Dr Omkar, associate professor of Zoology at the university, offered more details about the bees. “From TV visuals and photographs, we have concluded that giant bees — Apis dorsata (found in the wild) — swarmed the dais. They are extremely ferocious and, once angry, even go into the water to sting their targets,” he said.
HTC, Lucknow