E-Paper
Shocker from Telangana, 40 monkeys allegedly poisoned to death
Forest officials suspect that the simians were killed by some locals who could not bear the money menace.
Miscreants killed around 40 monkeys, including some baby simians, by allegedly poisoning them in Telangana’s Mahabubabad district, police said on Wednesday.
The highly decomposed carcasses of the monkeys were found stuffed in gunny bags in the bushes on a hillock behind an electric substation at Sanigapuram village close to Mahabubabad town.
Some local villagers who noticed the carcasses after a foul stench, immediately informed the police and the forest authorities.
Mahabubabad (Rural) sub-inspector of police Ch Ramesh Babu told Hindustan Times that the incident might have happened around five to six days ago, but came to light only on Wednesday.
“It is not only tragic but a dastardly act. We have booked a case under Section 429 (killing and poisoning of animals) of Indian Penal Code, apart from Section 11 (l) of the Prevention of Cruelty towards Animals Act, 1960,” Ramesh Babu said.
District forest officer Poloju Krishnamachary said it was shocking to find so many monkeys being killed. “We have never come across such an incident,” he said.
The forest officials suspect that it could be the handiwork of some locals, who could not bear the money menace. “We are making inquiries in the surrounding villages as well. We are trying to trace the miscreants with the help of the police. Investigation is on,” the DFO said, adding that the decomposed carcasses of the monkeys were cremated later in the afternoon.
He said inquiries by the police revealed that some animal catchers from Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district had come to Mahabubabad some time ago and their involvement also could not be ruled out.
“Generally, these animal catchers use tranquilisers to sedate the wild animals, take them and leave them in forests. Maybe, they had used an overdose of sedation that led to the death of so many monkeys,” the forest official said.
