Hyderabad: Residents across East, West and Old Maredpally, Mahendra Hills and nearby colonies are grappling with rising panic as groups of monkeys roam freely, entering homes, ransacking kitchens and chasing pedestrians and motorists. Several people have reportedly been injured in recent days, with locals calling on authorities to act before the situation worsens.The problem is not new, but it has intensified. On Monday, a troop of monkeys entered the Kasturba Gandhi Women’s College premises and damaged students’ tiffin boxes, creating a state of fear among students and faculty members. “We were scared to even open the windows. They come in groups, open our fridges, grab fruits and overturn dustbins,” said G. Rama Prabha, a resident of West Maredpally. Along several temple roads, particularly near the Sri Valli Devasena Subrahmanya Swamy temple, devotees have reported monkeys snatching prasadam and fruit packets from their hands. “I have seen them pull bags straight from people’s scooters. It’s not safe for children or the elderly anymore,” said a daily commuter. Complaints include attacks on balconies, damage to property, aggressive chasing of delivery agents and children and the monkeys’ bold entry into residential kitchens. In one instance, a resident said they had to lock themselves in their bedroom after a group of monkeys entered through the kitchen window. Forest department officials and GHMC have yet to initiate a citywide containment or relocation plan. Locals say previous calls to helplines or municipal authorities yielded only temporary relief, with the monkeys returning in larger numbers after a few days. Experts say the growing monkey population in urban pockets is linked to shrinking green cover, disruption of their natural habitats and easy food access in residential areas. “Monkeys adapt quickly to human environments when there’s consistent food access, like open garbage bins or offerings at temples. Without intervention or relocation, this behaviour becomes permanent,” said Sita Chowdhury, a green enthusiast. Residents are now demanding that the forest department and GHMC and deploy trained teams to trap and relocate the monkeys. “We are not against the animals, but this is a public safety issue. Someone is going to get seriously hurt if this continues,” said Akshay Kumar, a parent whose son’s classmate was almost scratched while walking home from school. With schools, markets and homes affected, locals hope the authorities will act before the issue spirals further, especially as the monsoon season begins when such monkey activity and home entries often increase.
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