BASHARAT KAREEM
GANDERBAL, Feb 3: The presence of monkeys that is witnessing an increase day by day is creating panic and fear among the villager’s of Bella Wussan in district Ganderbal.
The residents of village Bella Wussan new Basti have been living under the threat of monkey attacks for over the last two years as the monkeys visit from nearby forest and cause havoc in the village.
While talking to Kashmir Despatch, the locals of the village said that the monkeys enter in their houses and create problems by tearing clothes, damaging electric wires, stealing food, vegetables and many other essential commodities.
“The problem gets worse when these monkeys snatch things from our hands which can be harmful for us and for our children as well and we are also afraid to let our children play outside the home. Also the shopkeepers hesitate to keep goods outside their shops,” they further added.
“Each passing day the number of these monkeys is increasing in the village and it’s challenging for us to shoo them away as they get violent when someone chases them. These monkeys enter our houses and steal our belongings. In the summer season they damage crop fields which is a big problem for us,” Abdul Wahid, a resident of the village, told Kashmir Despatch.
The residents of the village appealed to the department of wildlife to look into this matter. When contacted, a wildlife official told Kashmir Despatch. “The reason for monkeys visiting human habitations is due to the depletion of food sources in the forest. However, we will look into this issue on priority.”
