'Hindu' monkey bites Muslim, held

Balasore (Orissa): Sometimes when police talk business, they mean monkey business.

This is a story of a simian who has been caged in Orissa for the last five years for, believe it or not, disturbing communal harmony.

The seven year-old monkey called Ramu is serving life imprisonment at Remuna police station in Balasore district.

Raised by a Hindu family, he bit some Muslim children five years ago, sparking communal tension in the area. When police intervened, they put him in this cage.

Says the officer in charge, Remuna police station, M K Dhir, "The Muslim community people whose children were bitten came here and made a complaint. In order to calm the situation we caged this monkey."

Though caged, police say they treat Ramu well. They say he gets more than two kilos of fruits everyday apart from his usual meal. However, animal rights activists are not amused.

Says an animal rights activist, R K Sahoo, "This is a punishable offence and the monkey should be immediately set free in the jungle."

The forest department wants to release Ramu from the bondage, but police officials say they have developed an emotional bond with the monkey and don't want to lose him.

(With inputs from Pallavi Basu)

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