WARANGAL/KARIMNAGAR: The monkey menace has intensified in Warangal and Karimnagar districts, spreading from rural to urban areas. Incidents of monkey attacks on people, damage to property, and destruction of crops have surged.
In a tragic incident in Perikavedu village of Warangal district, 63-year-old Mallamma died after a troop of monkeys attacked her while she was carrying hot water for a bath. Startled, she spilled the water on herself, sustaining fatal burns. Despite being rushed to a private hospital in Thorrur, she succumbed to her injuries. Mallamma is survived by her husband Makkaiah, her daughters, and son Raju.
In Karimnagar town’s Mankamma Thota locality, an elderly woman narrowly escaped a similar fate when a group of monkeys surrounded and dragged her. CCTV footage captured the moment a monkey pulled her sari, causing her to fall. Neighbours rushed in and managed to save her in time.
Meanwhile, in Rajanna Sircilla district, farmers are reeling under crop loss as monkeys continue to destroy paddy left to dry along roadsides in Mustafa Nagar, Gambhiraopet, and surrounding villages. Farmers, already deprived of sufficient drying areas, are now facing aggressive monkey raids. “We work for months and lose everything in one night,” a distressed farmer said.
Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO) of Yellareddypet, Sattaiah, acknowledged receiving complaints from various villages. However, he stated that with no official directives from the government, villagers are left to manage the crisis on their own.
Children are increasingly becoming victims. In Pallimakta village, six-year-old Srilekha suffered leg injuries after being bitten by a monkey while playing outside. In another incident in Dhangarwadi, Class 8 student Chevulamaddu Raghuvardhan fractured both legs and sustained spinal injuries after jumping from his school’s first floor to escape a group of monkeys.
In Hanamkonda district’s Kamalapur village, 47-year-old Lavanya Jakku broke her arm during a monkey attack while working outside her home. Other disturbing incidents include monkeys damaging rooftops, toppling tiles, and stealing household items. In Mahbubabad, a woman narrowly escaped drowning after falling near a well while fleeing a monkey.
Earlier initiatives like the BRS government’s “Monkey Food Courts” have failed due to poor maintenance and lack of consistent food supplies.
People are demanding sustainable solutions — including relocation measures, scientific wildlife management, and strengthening forest ecosystems to reduce monkey intrusions into human settlements.
