The Forest Department has begun an investigation into the deaths of 18-19 monkeys in Belgaon village, Chhattisgarh. Four rotten carcasses have been recovered, and a senior official stated the exact cause of death is still undetermined. Village Panch Sitaram Verma claims that two laborers hired to drive the monkeys away shot at least 17 simians. Verma accused the Forest Department of attempting to cover up the incident, alleging that state authorities were slow to respond and that carcasses were consumed by stray dogs.
Forest officials are questioning suspects and conducting forensic examinations, but confirmatory results on the deaths are still pending. Action under the Wildlife Protection Act will be taken against those found guilty. The incident has caused shock among villagers, who previously used non-lethal methods to address monkey issues.
