Fresh animal conflict at IIT Madras, staff allege ‘monkey’ attacks – The New Indian Express

Express News Service

CHENNAI:  After stray dogs, IIT Madras administration has now encountered a monkey problem at the campus. The institute has approached the forest department seeking for the relocation of the monkeys which authorities claim are exhibiting violent behaviour and attacking staff. 

On Saturday, IIT Madras registrar Jane Prasad made a formal request to the Chennai Wildlife Warden Naga Sathish Gidijala asking the foresters to capture and relocate a troop of monkeys that have reportedly attacked and bitten a female staff member at the Nilgiris mess. 

The pictures shared by IIT Madras shows injuries on the woman’s hand and in a video monkeys can be seen entering the mess kitchen and running away with food items, while other provisions like rice, pulses packets were thrown around.  Chennai Wildlife Warden Naga Sathish Gidijala confirmed to Express that he did receive a complaint from IIT Madras registrar about an attack on a female staff member. Acting on the complaint, the forest department have captured five monkeys. 

“It’s a call that we have taken to capture the monkeys that exhibited violent behaviour, especially Alpha males. We can’t ignore when people feel threatened and get bitten,” Wildlife Warden said.  The official also stated the captured monkeys will be rehabilitated in a reserve forest far away. The location is yet to be finalised. “We have used only conventional methods of capturing. The animals were not tranquilized. We hope there is no further conflict, otherwise we may have to capture more monkeys.”

However, animal rights groups and a section of students in IIT Madras have objected to the move saying the institute wants to remove all the monkeys from the campus. A student told Express on the condition of anonymity that last month 20 monkeys were captured, but after protest the institute released them back.