'Looter' monkeys wreak havoc in this Karnataka village

This Karnataka village faces an unusual raid every now and then. Monkeys swarm the village and snatch away all belongings. The residents have approached the forest department to control the increasing simian population but to no avail.

Gadag (Karnataka):Residents of Khanapur, a remote village in Karnataka's Gadag district, prefer to stay indoors! They seldom step outside fearing a unique 'army of looters', who have wreaked havoc on their lives. The nondescript village is home to more than 300 monkeys, who patiently wait to snatch anything that they can lay their hands upon!

According to reports, the 'monkey menace' has slowly isolated the region and relatives of the villagers stopped their visits, owing to this issue.

The monkeys, walk around the village, with heads held up high, waiting on rooftops and sometimes insides homes to scare the wits out of the residents. They usually invade homes and snatch away things or patiently wait until one of the villagers steps out of his/her house for purchasing essentials.

The monkey 'loot' continues especially after one returns from market buying vegetables. The hit and run trend continued for so long that women and children are often confined to their homes.

According to villagers, the monkey army targets specific groups who try to ward them off with sticks.

The residents have approached the forest department to control the increasing simian population but to no avail.