Amidst a cruelty towards animals case, around 70 monkeys were found dead in the bushes in a certain village of Mahbubabad.
The horrific crime, which witnessed the death of such a large number of monkeys, hasn’t been rounded up to an accused yet as the people behind it haven’t been identified.
According to sources, the innocent animals had been killed likely by mixing poison in food and feeding them the altered product.
The monkeys’ dead bodies were recovered from the bushy area adjoining an electric substation in the outskirts of Shanigapuram village of Mahbubabad on the night of Tuesday.
The unknown persons hadn’t even spared infant monkeys with their bodies too lying in a decomposed state in the pile of carcasses.
Mohammed Saleema, better known as Suma, a social activist and active member of the ‘Nenusaitam’ voluntary group, immediately reached the said location after being informed of the heinous incident. She also brought along a team of media reporters to cover the news and let the atrocity be known.
Shocked and extremely saddened over the inhuman crime, Ms. Suma held a protest with a placard in hand, urging authorities to find the guilty and take heavy action against them for executing the horrific act on the poor animals. She even voiced her decision to go on a hunger protest if the officials refuse to indulge in the matter and punish the culprits.
After finding the monkeys, forest officers gave the final rites to the monkeys and carried out the cremation on Wednesday.
T. Ravi Kiran, the District Forest Officer (DFO) of Mahbubabad, said that the police was working towards identifying the guilty. He said they were employing the use of technology and other machinery along with the physical police force to trace them.
Speaking about the incident, Mr. Ravi said, “We are on the lookout for them with the help of police and official machinery. It is not clear why they turned barbaric against a group of helpless monkeys, and that too in such a large scale.”
He assured the citizens that the culprits of the gruesome act will be found soon with strict punishment bestowed on them for killing the animals.
Meanwhile, another projected rumour related to the crime is being speculated saying that farmers of the nearby fields have allegedly electrocuted the 70 monkeys till they died as the animals had created a ruckus by damaging their crops.
The police, however, did not mention about the cause as they said further information can be revealed only after investigation and identification of the culprits.
Ms. Suma’s placard holding picture has been getting viral on social media as well as many are condemning the cruel act involving the death of the monkeys. Some people, who consider monkeys to be a sacred animal, also raised their voice on the barbaric crime and requested officials to ensure strict punishment for the people who executed it.
Often harmless, monkeys are found in large numbers in many parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
