Monkeys terrorise shopkeepers in Karimnagar villages

Monkey attacks on villages and kirana stores have increased significantly over the recent years

Karimnagar: It’s not uncommon in many villages to see shops protected with cage-like structures or grills — like the ones you find at liquor stores. However, this has now become a more common practice for kirana and general store owners, thanks to the proliferating population of monkeys in Karimnagar district.

If one passes through any village in Manakondur area, he can notice these cage-like structures in every other lane. Shopkeepers reason that they are unable to protect themselves from monkeys and had to opt for the measure. The troops of monkeys have begun to march into the villages in search of food after appearing to abandon the nearby hillocks and forests.

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Monkey attacks on villages and kirana stores have increased significantly over the recent years. Lack of food sources like fruits with the destruction of forests and hillocks have prompted the simians to enter villages.

Fearing the monkey attack, many farmers have stopped cultivating vegetables, groundnut, green gram, red gram, bengal gram and other pulses. With no food available in agricultural fields, monkeys have shifted their focus to kirana stores where they can find ready-to-eat items such as biscuits, chocolates, bread and others.

Vishwanatham, a kirana store owner in Gattududdenapalli of Manakondur mandal, got the grills fixed on either side of his shop, with a small window to carryout transactions. He tied the plastic boxes of chocolates, biscuits and other food items to the frame of the display table to avoid monkeys walking away with them.

Speaking to ‘Telangana Today’, Vishwanatham said he got the setup done three years ago as he was vexed with the monkey menace. There were incidents of monkeys entering into the shop through the window and fleeing with items. So, he tied boxes to the frame of the display table.

Ramesh, another kirana store owner from Chenjarla, says at one go about 100 to 200 monkeys would attack his shop every two days. Unable to bear the loss, got a mesh arranged, he said.

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