Monkey menace meets jugaad in Telangana: Newly-elected sarpanch scares animals wearing bear suit; video goes viral

HYDERABAD: A newly elected sarpanch from Nirmal district has literally taken the task of driving away monkeys into his own hands, after he was seen 'monkeying around' in a bear costume to tackle the menace in his village.



Unusual approach


In a video that went viral on social media, Kummari Ranjith of Lingapur village in Kadam mandal can be seen jumping around in the costume to scare away monkeys. Ranjith said he decided to try the unusual approach after efforts to trap the animals using cages failed.

"We contributed 50 per household and installed cages to catch monkeys. But the method wasn't successful, as we managed to catch only a few," he said. "I came across this idea while searching for solutions online, so I decided to wear a bear costume and roam around the village to provide some interim relief."

The village has reportedly been grappling with a severe monkey menace for the past two to three years. During the recent elections, the issue emerged as a major poll concern, with candidates promising to address it.

"I chose this method because I had promised to tackle the monkey menace if elected," Ranjith, who is backed by the BRS, said, adding that several monkeys fled upon seeing the 'bear' getup.

The young sarpanch stressed that the govt should take the issue seriously, noting that many villages across the state are facing similar problems. He pointed out that monkey attacks have led to crop damage and injuries to residents, adding that state must find a permanent solution to the issue.

Experimenting various ways

Across Telangana, villagers, with the support of gram panchayats, have been experimenting with various solutions such as hiring animal catchers, installing cages, and even bringing in langurs to deter monkeys.

"At the village level, we are trying different methods to stop monkeys from entering habitations. But what we really need is a permanent solution, and that can only come from the govt," said Lavudya Joga Nayak from Govindaraopet in Mulugu district, which is also facing the menace.
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