Thousands of monkeys are creating havoc in the corridors of power in the Indian capital, barging into government offices, stealing food, threatening bureaucrats, and even ripping apart valuable documents.
The increasingly aggressive animals swing effortlessly between the offices of the defense, finance and external affairs ministries, and have even been spotted in the prime minister’s office, government officials say.
“They are moving in very high security areas,†said defense ministry officer I.K. Jha.
According to estimates by officials, there are at least 10,000 monkeys scampering in and around the stately red sandstone buildings just a stone’s throw from the grand presidential palace.
Can't Kill Sacred Monkeys
But officials say there is little they can do to deal with the monkey invasion of the government buildings, built by the country’s British rulers before India won independence in 1947.
Killing the animals is not an option because monkeys have a sacred status in India’s main religion, Hinduism.
The increasingly aggressive animals swing effortlessly between the offices of the defense, finance and external affairs ministries, and have even been spotted in the prime minister’s office, government officials say.
“They are moving in very high security areas,†said defense ministry officer I.K. Jha.
According to estimates by officials, there are at least 10,000 monkeys scampering in and around the stately red sandstone buildings just a stone’s throw from the grand presidential palace.
Can't Kill Sacred Monkeys
But officials say there is little they can do to deal with the monkey invasion of the government buildings, built by the country’s British rulers before India won independence in 1947.
Killing the animals is not an option because monkeys have a sacred status in India’s main religion, Hinduism.
