On Tuesday, November 14, 2023, in Gujarat, India, a 10-year-old boy was attacked and killed by a group of monkeys.
Dipak Thakor was playing with his friends near a temple in the village of Salki, located in the Dehgam Taluka of the Gandhinagar district when he encountered what has been described as a “notorious gang” of monkeys.
The monkeys jumped onto the boy, puncturing his skin and digging their claws into him, ultimately leading to fatal injuries.
According to local officials, one of the monkeys disemboweled the boy. The injured boy was rushed back to his home and was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
The incident marks the third attack in the village in a single week. The monkeys responsible for Thakor’s death and other recent attacks have been on the run, eluding capture by local authorities.
Vishal Chaudhary, a forest official in Salki, has confirmed that efforts are underway to capture the monkeys. This group includes four adult monkeys that have been particularly aggressive over the past week.
Chaudhary said that two langurs have been captured so far, with ongoing efforts to cage another. The officials have set up traps in an attempt to capture more members of this violent group.
These incidents are not isolated to Salki, as dangerous encounters with monkeys have been increasingly reported across India. In 2021, according to villagers, more than 250 puppies were killed by aggressive monkeys in a “cycle of revenge.” Earlier this year, a three-year-old child was abducted by a monkey, which carried the child up a cliff. Fortunately, the child was safely returned to their parents following a several-hour search conducted by the police.
The rise in aggressive monkey behavior has raised significant concerns about the interaction between wildlife and human populations in India.