Thirsty monkey bites eight people while being chased away in Guduvanchery

CHENNAI: A monkey that came to drink water from a public tap in Guduvanchery turned aggressive and bit eight people, including a three-year-old child on Thursday, when the residents tried to chase it away.

Several residents of Thulukkanathamman Koil Street in Nandivaram near Guduvanchery were collecting water from a public tap when the monkey approached the spot to drink water.

Frightened by its presence, some women tried to drive it away by hitting it with plastic water cans. Angered by the act, the monkey began chasing and attacking the women standing near the tap. Even after drinking water, the monkey continued to remain aggressive.

A woman, who was taking her three-year-old child to a nearby anganwadi centre, was also attacked. The monkey chased and bit both the mother and the child. Residents attempted to chase away the animal using sticks, but the monkey turned on them as well and attacked several others. In total, eight people, including the child, sustained bite injuries in the incident.

Upon information, staff of the Tambaram forest department rushed to the spot. After a prolonged operation, they captured the monkey using a cage. Later, it was taken to the Vandalur zoo.

The injured persons were admitted to nearby government and private hospitals for treatment. The three-year-old child, who sustained injuries, was shifted to the Chengalpattu Government Medical College Hospital for further treatment.