New Delhi (Sputnik): India's ancient city Agra, globally renowned for the architectural marvel Taj Mahal, is suffering from the menace of monkey attack on tourists. The menace caught the media glare when locals took to the social media to appreciate a policeman who recently rescued an Italian tourist from the clutches of a Monkey in the premises of the Taj Mahal.
Avinash Singh, the police constable was hailed as a hero for his promptness of action.
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"The sensitivity and promptness with which Singh attended the guest and provided her with support and medical treatment was much appreciated by the local press and also his seniors. He has helped raise the image of the tourism police in the province," Hari Sharma, a local scribe told Sputnik.
Maryam from Italy was attacked by a monkey on Wednesday when she was moving towards the western gate of the Taj Mahal after depositing her valuables in a locker, the local media reported.
Ankit Namdev, the conservation assistant for Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the caretaker organization for historical monuments of India, confirmed that the menace of monkey attacks is indeed prevalent in the area but contended that this particular incident occurred outside the Taj Mahal.
"We too are concerned over such incidents and have repeatedly written to the Agra Nagar Nigam (municipal corporation) to check monkey menace, but concrete steps are awaited," Namdev was quoted by the Hindustan Times.
An Agra administration official blamed it on the tourists for encouraging the simians to come near them.
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"Several visitors have the habit of feeding the monkeys and it is prohibited but they don't heed. The practice has now changed the food habits of these animals that were earlier dependent on the forests nearby. Since these monkeys find easy food from the tourists, they hover around them in expectation of being fed. We will insist the ASI and the Tourist Police to act against visitors trying to feed the animals," a municipal official said on condition of anonymity.
Several such incidents of simian attacks on tourists in India have occurred in the past and prominent among them which have been reported by the media are that of a Japanese woman tourist who was attacked by a monkey in August near the Taj Mahal complex. In May, a French woman was attacked by a monkey inside the Taj Mahal complex.