Has bitten or scratched at least 20 persons, including 1 forest staff, so far
A labourer (extreme left) who was attacked by the monkey along with Mastimoll Ward Councillor Dhiraj Naikgaonkar and others.
CANACONA
Having inflicted injuries on at least 20 persons and has caused panic in Mastimoll-Canacona, a monkey has even managed to hoodwink a 40-member forest team on its trail.
A forest staff has also been among those who have been attacked by the monkey during one of the many rescue operations launched in recent days.
According to Mastimoll Ward Councillor Dhiraj Naikgaonkar, the monkey first attacked a person on January 26.
“The attacks escalated in February and March, and by the time a forest (wildlife) rescue team began a massive hunt to nab the monkey, it had already attacked at least 20 locals, women, migrant labourers living in Mastimoll,” said Naikgaunkar.
“While many victims availed treatment from private hospitals, 15 persons went to the Canacona Community health Centre with bites and other injuries.”
“This particular monkey has gone berserk and is on an attacking spree. It bites or scratches passers by along the stretch of road between the ITI and JNV gate.”
ATTACKS ON PEOPLE
Several people have narrated how they had been attacked by the monkey and sustained various types of injuries.
One local said he was opening the door of his toilet at the rear of his house, when a monkey suddenly jumped on his back and by the time he pushed the monkey away, he suffered some scratches on the back of his shoulders. After sometime, as he started to feel uneasy and he was taken to the hospital, where doctors treated him with injections and some medicines.
Another resident said he was on way to a neighbour’s house when the monkey jumped on him and bit his head. He received 4 stitches to his head.
A labourer said he was just back of his rented house to answer nature’s call when the monkey jumped on him and bit him on his hand and stomach. He received over 25 stitches on his wounds.
A woman walking on the street was attacked and received bites on her neck, while another woman was sustained wounds on her hand.
Another local informed that his mother was standing outside their house, when the monkey suddenly jumped on her from behind and threw her on the ground, injuring her face. She sustained some scratches from the monkey on her back, and due to the fall, suffered injuries on her head.
EFFORTS TO TRAP MONKEY
Recently, a 40-members forest team led by ACF and RFO Anant Velip have been combing the area around in the forest since the last eight days, but had been unable to trap the monkey.
Along with local youth, the team combed the forest area beyond Kindlem side but when the forest team left, the monkey returned in the evening and attacked another person at Mastimoll.
Naikgaonkar informed the monkey was sighted near a house at about 8 am a few days ago, and the forest team was alerted.
“Some forest staff reached the site, but the monkey attacked one forest staff, who luckily sustained only scratches on his neck, and fled again,” said Naikgaonkar.
“The same evening, the forest team and locals gathered at the site. A forest team member even managed to fire a tranquilliser dart at the monkey.”
“The monkey was seen removing the tranquilliser dart which struck his head and threw it away. The monkey fell on the ground, but by the time the rescue team armed with a net and caged reached the spot, the monkey regained consciousness and escaped in the woods.”
It went deeper in the jungle where it was joined by other monkeys, and it became difficult to forest team to identify the monkey and the rescue operations were called off for the day,” Naikgaunkar added.
The councillor confirmed that since the last few days there have been no reports of monkey attacks in the locality.
“However, the forest team is closely monitoring the developments and is on alert to launch operations at short notice to trap the monkey,” Naikgaunkar said.
